Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
Dynamic population coding of kinematic structure across executed and observed actions in primate premotor cortex
Konstantinos Chatzimichail1,2, Christos Paschalidis1,2, Eleftheria Tzamali1
1Lab of Movement Physiology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
Abstract:
Neurons active during both action execution and observation [mirror neurons (MirNs)] are central to theories of action understanding, yet what they represent remains debated: abstract goals, static grips, or movement kinematics? We recorded 433 neurons from macaque premotor cortex during execution and observation of reach-to-grasp actions. Population analyses revealed grasp-specific information in both conditions, broadly distributed across neurons and dynamically reconfigured over time. Generalization across task phases was limited, indicating time-specific and evolving population codes rather than static representations. Execution and observation were linked by a shared, partially overlapping population geometry that supported reliable cross-condition classification, with the strongest alignment emerging during movement and hold. Neural activity was systematically related to multidimensional hand kinematics, and these relationships generalized across neuronal populations and across agents. Together, these findings support a dynamic population-level account of MirN function in which premotor circuits integrate visual and motor signals to represent and anticipate the unfolding structure of others' actions.
More Related Videos
11:31Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy of the Sensory and Motor Brain Regions with Simultaneous Kinematic and EMG Monitoring During Motor Tasks
Published on: December 5, 2014
07:08Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
Published on: August 1, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Propagation of Action Potentials
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
Fixed Action Patterns
Action Potential
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Muscle Coordination and Action
Agonists
Agonist muscles, often called prime movers, are the primary muscles responsible for producing a specific movement.
Hierarchy of Motor Control
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...