Look at Me: Early Gaze Engagement Enhances Corticospinal Excitability During Action Observation.

ABSTRACT: Direct gaze is a powerful social cue able to capture the onlooker's attention. Beside gaze, head and limb movements as well can provide relevant sources of information for social interaction. This study investigated the joint role of direct gaze and hand gestures on onlookers corticospinal excitability (CE). In two experiments we manipulated the temporal and spatial aspects of observed gaze and hand behavior to assess their role in affecting motor preparation. To do this, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on the primary motor cortex (M1) coupled with electromyography (EMG) recording was used in two experiments. In the crucial manipulation, we showed to participants four video clips of an actor who initially displayed eye contact while starting a social request gesture, and then compl

SUBMITTER: Betti S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6095062 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature