Motor representations and practice affect brain systems underlying imagery: an FMRI study of internal imagery in novices and active high jumpers

C-J Olsson, Bert Jonsson, Anne Larsson, Lars Nyberg, C-J Olsson, Bert Jonsson, Anne Larsson, Lars Nyberg

Abstract

This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate differences in brain activity between one group of active high jumpers and one group of high jumping novices (controls) when performing motor imagery of a high jump. It was also investigated how internal imagery training affects neural activity. The results showed that active high jumpers primarily activated motor areas, e.g. pre-motor cortex and cerebellum. Novices activated visual areas, e.g. superior occipital cortex. Imagery training resulted in a reduction of activity in parietal cortex. These results indicate that in order to use an internal perspective during motor imagery of a complex skill, one must have well established motor representations of the skill which then translates into a motor/internal pattern of brain activity. If not, an external perspective will be used and the corresponding brain activation will be a visual/external pattern. Moreover, the findings imply that imagery training reduces the activity in parietal cortex suggesting that imagery is performed more automatic and results in a more efficient motor representation more easily accessed during motor performance.

Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Activation pattern (imagery > baseline) found for high jumpers (top) and controls (bottom) performing the same task, internal imagery of a high jump. High jumpers show motor activation with increased activity in areas such as Pre-motor cortex, SMA and Cerebellum. Novices (controls) show an activation pattern of increased activity in visual and parietal cortex such as superior occipital lobe and inferior parietal cortex. For both groups the significance level was set to p 25 voxels.
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
Individual data over the regions activated for the active high jumpers compared to baseline rest. Despite the different background in imagery training the group is homogeneous and therefore we can conclude that the group does not consist of two sub-groups.
Fig. (3)
Fig. (3)
When comparing the BOLD signal change between the groups on the local maxima (p

Fig. (4)

The masking contrast revealed an…

Fig. (4)

The masking contrast revealed an area (28 voxels) in posterior parietal cortex within…

Fig. (4)
The masking contrast revealed an area (28 voxels) in posterior parietal cortex within which a three voxel large overlap between the controls and the non-imagery trained high jumpers was found. The slice figure show the regions for the inclusion mask in horizontal and transversal direction, in which the overlap was found (enlarged picture). Also shown are the BOLD signal changes for the three different groups on this peak (x y z = -62 -34 42). There was a significant difference (p
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Fig. (4)
Fig. (4)
The masking contrast revealed an area (28 voxels) in posterior parietal cortex within which a three voxel large overlap between the controls and the non-imagery trained high jumpers was found. The slice figure show the regions for the inclusion mask in horizontal and transversal direction, in which the overlap was found (enlarged picture). Also shown are the BOLD signal changes for the three different groups on this peak (x y z = -62 -34 42). There was a significant difference (p

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