Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
Perception of hand movement by mirror reflection evokes brain activation in the motor cortex contralateral to a
Ranjan Debnath1, Elizabeth A Franz1
1Action Brain and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, New Zealand.
Abstract:
We investigated whether perception of hand movement via mirror reflection evokes activation in the motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the non-moving hand (the M1 ipsilateral to the moving hand). Continuous electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded from 14 participants while they performed unimanual extension-flexion hand movements in direct view and mirror view conditions. We measured the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) as a marker of M1 activation in both conditions. Both the direct and mirror view conditions produced LRPs, with the mirror view conditions revealing clear activation in M1 contralateral to the non-moving hand (ipsilateral to the moving hand) during both flexion and extension phases. This unambiguous demonstration of M1 activation in association with a non-moving hand (which is visually-perceived as moving), suggests that perception of movement can directly lead to M1 activation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Somatosensation
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex....
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

