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The space of affordances: a TMS study
Pasquale Cardellicchio1, Corrado Sinigaglia2, Marcello Costantini1
1Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy; Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, Foundation University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.
The motor system activates when observing graspable objects, but only if they are within reach. This spatial constraint suggests motor control is dynamically linked to an object's proximity for potential action.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Motor Control
Background:
- Previous research indicates motor system activation upon observing graspable objects.
- This activation is thought to be vital for encoding objects for potential motor actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if motor system activation occurs solely based on object graspability or if it is contingent on the object being within the observer's reachable space.
- To determine the spatial constraints of motor system recruitment during object observation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to record motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the left primary motor cortex.
- Participants observed graspable and non-graspable objects positioned either within or outside their personal reachable space.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher MEPs were recorded when participants observed graspable objects within their reachable space.
- MEPs were not elevated for non-graspable objects or graspable objects outside the reachable space.
Conclusions:
- The motor system's recruitment during object observation is spatially constrained.
- Activation is dependent on the object's location relative to the observer's reachable space, indicating a functional link between perception and action planning.
