Healthy Clinical Trial
Official title:
Neural Correlates of Observation of Tactile Stimulation in Healthy Subjects
This study will examine activity in the brain during the observation of touch. Studies with
animals have shown that mirror neurons, or nerve cells, are active during the observation and
performance of an action. The researchers for this study hypothesize that a similar system
pertains to observing and experiencing touch.
Patients ages 18 to 75 years old who are in good health, are right handed, and who are able
to perform simple tasks that require attention may be eligible for this study. Pregnant women
are not eligible.
Patients who have not had a health screening at NIH will undergo a clinical and neurological
exam. Women of childbearing potential will also have a pregnancy test. The screening will
take about 2 to 3 hours. A diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will be performed
if patients have not undergone one in the previous 12 months. During the procedure, patients
will lie still on a table that will slide into the enclosed tunnel of the scanner. They will
be asked to lie as still as possible for up to a few minutes at a time. As the scanner takes
pictures, patients will hear knocking or beeping sounds, and they will wear earplugs to
reduce the noise. Patients will be able to communicate with the MRI staff at all times during
the scan, and they may ask to be moved out of the machine at any time. This scan will take
about 2 hours.
Two sessions are involved in the study. The first one is intended to familiarize patients
with the procedure. During it, they will learn about hand stimulus, through watching a video
showing the index finger of a hand being touched by a stick repeatedly. Then the activity
will be repeated, but this time, a researcher will also touch the patient's index finger
while he or she is watching the video. This session will take about 1 hour.
The second session consists of a functional MRI scan, or fMRI. During it, pictures of the
brain will be taken while patients perform tasks. All tasks will be explained in advance, and
patients will have an opportunity to practice them before entering the scanner. The fMRI scan
will take 1 to 2 hours.
The researchers will discuss the results of the tests with the participants. There is not a
direct benefit to those who take part in the study. However, it is hoped that resulting
information will enhance researchers' understanding about how the brain processes observed
information.
Objective:
There is growing evidence that a mirror system for action observation exists. Neurons in the
monkey premotor cortex discharge with performance of goal directed actions and also with
observation of another individual performing a similar action. This mirror neuron system for
action observation seems to be important for the recognition and understanding of actions.
Recently, bimodal neurons, sensitive both for tactile stimulation and for visual stimuli,
were found in the parietal cortex. This suggests the idea that there might be a similar
mirror neuron system for observing and receiving (or experiencing) tactile stimulation. The
neuronal correlates of observing tactile stimulation are mainly unknown. The purpose of this
protocol is to determine the pattern of brain activation related to the observation of a
tactile stimulated hand.
Study Population:
We will test our hypothesis by means of a functional MRI (fMRI) experiment in a group of
healthy subjects.
Design:
We hypothesize that observation of touch will rely on the activation of a cortical network
that is different form the observation of non-touch and is in part overlapping with cortical
structures active during real tactile stimulation (i.e., somatosensory cortex). Further, we
hypothesize that the observation of touch enhances activation in the somatosensory cortex
during real tactile stimulation.
Outcome Measures:
Our outcome measure will be an increase in the number of activated voxels in the
somatosensory cortex during the touch observation (for both hypothesis). This would give an
important hint for a mirror system for observed and received touch. A mirror neuron system
for observed touch may become an important tool in rehabilitative treatment for patients with
somatosensory impairments.
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