Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have difficulty performing and learning motor skills. Automatic activation of the mirror neuron system (MNS) during action observation and its coupling to the motor output system are important neurophysiological processes that underpin observat...
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-07-01
|
Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00232/full |
id |
doaj-61bf97ff78304b49a5ae53e5a17eb9ad |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-61bf97ff78304b49a5ae53e5a17eb9ad2020-11-25T02:52:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612019-07-011310.3389/fnhum.2019.00232461876Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation ParadigmJessica M. Lust0Hein T. van Schie1Peter H. Wilson2Jurjen van der Helden3Ben Pelzer4Bert Steenbergen5Bert Steenbergen6Behavioural Science Institute (BSI), Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsBehavioural Science Institute (BSI), Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsCentre for Disability and Development Research (CeDDR), School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaBehavioural Science Institute (BSI), Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsBehavioural Science Institute (BSI), Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsBehavioural Science Institute (BSI), Radboud University, Nijmegen, NetherlandsCentre for Disability and Development Research (CeDDR), School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaChildren with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have difficulty performing and learning motor skills. Automatic activation of the mirror neuron system (MNS) during action observation and its coupling to the motor output system are important neurophysiological processes that underpin observational motor learning. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that MNS function is disrupted in children with DCD by using sensitive electroencephalography (EEG)-based measures of MNS activation during action observation. Specifically, we predicted reduced mu-suppression and coherence in DCD compared with typically developing children. Neural activation of the motor network was measured by EEG, specifically event-related desynchronization (ERD) of mu rhythms and fronto-parietal coherence. Children (15 DCD/15 controls) were tested under two task conditions: observational learning (imitation of an observed action) and detection (report a deviant movement after observation). EEG-metrics were compared between groups using linear mixed-effects models. As predicted, children with DCD showed lower levels of mu suppression and reduced modulation of coherence during the observational learning task compared with their non-DCD peers. Notably, mu suppression was reduced in DCD over the entire imitation task (repetitions, and both observation and pause intervals). Action observation can be used for the acquisition of new motor skills. This form of learning entails the transposition of the observed action to the existing internal representations of the observer’s own motor system. The present neurophysiological results suggest that this process of learning is impaired in children with DCD. The results are discussed in relation to current hypotheses on mechanisms of DCD.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00232/fulldevelopmental coordination disorder (DCD)MNSmu desynchronizationEEG coherencesequence learninginternal modeling |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jessica M. Lust Hein T. van Schie Peter H. Wilson Jurjen van der Helden Ben Pelzer Bert Steenbergen Bert Steenbergen |
spellingShingle |
Jessica M. Lust Hein T. van Schie Peter H. Wilson Jurjen van der Helden Ben Pelzer Bert Steenbergen Bert Steenbergen Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm Frontiers in Human Neuroscience developmental coordination disorder (DCD) MNS mu desynchronization EEG coherence sequence learning internal modeling |
author_facet |
Jessica M. Lust Hein T. van Schie Peter H. Wilson Jurjen van der Helden Ben Pelzer Bert Steenbergen Bert Steenbergen |
author_sort |
Jessica M. Lust |
title |
Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm |
title_short |
Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm |
title_full |
Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm |
title_fullStr |
Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm |
title_full_unstemmed |
Activation of Mirror Neuron Regions Is Altered in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)–Neurophysiological Evidence Using an Action Observation Paradigm |
title_sort |
activation of mirror neuron regions is altered in developmental coordination disorder (dcd)–neurophysiological evidence using an action observation paradigm |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
issn |
1662-5161 |
publishDate |
2019-07-01 |
description |
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have difficulty performing and learning motor skills. Automatic activation of the mirror neuron system (MNS) during action observation and its coupling to the motor output system are important neurophysiological processes that underpin observational motor learning. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that MNS function is disrupted in children with DCD by using sensitive electroencephalography (EEG)-based measures of MNS activation during action observation. Specifically, we predicted reduced mu-suppression and coherence in DCD compared with typically developing children. Neural activation of the motor network was measured by EEG, specifically event-related desynchronization (ERD) of mu rhythms and fronto-parietal coherence. Children (15 DCD/15 controls) were tested under two task conditions: observational learning (imitation of an observed action) and detection (report a deviant movement after observation). EEG-metrics were compared between groups using linear mixed-effects models. As predicted, children with DCD showed lower levels of mu suppression and reduced modulation of coherence during the observational learning task compared with their non-DCD peers. Notably, mu suppression was reduced in DCD over the entire imitation task (repetitions, and both observation and pause intervals). Action observation can be used for the acquisition of new motor skills. This form of learning entails the transposition of the observed action to the existing internal representations of the observer’s own motor system. The present neurophysiological results suggest that this process of learning is impaired in children with DCD. The results are discussed in relation to current hypotheses on mechanisms of DCD. |
topic |
developmental coordination disorder (DCD) MNS mu desynchronization EEG coherence sequence learning internal modeling |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00232/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jessicamlust activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm AT heintvanschie activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm AT peterhwilson activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm AT jurjenvanderhelden activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm AT benpelzer activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm AT bertsteenbergen activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm AT bertsteenbergen activationofmirrorneuronregionsisalteredindevelopmentalcoordinationdisorderdcdneurophysiologicalevidenceusinganactionobservationparadigm |
_version_ |
1724727600338698240 |