Neural substrates involved in imitating finger configurations: an fMRI study

Imitation plays a very important role in human cognition. Because previous neuroimaging studies on human imitation used rather simple actions as targe t stimuli, some aspects of imitation such as perceiving target actions or m anipulating one's own mental image could not be studied. We used complicate d non-symbolic (S-) and symbolic (S+) finger configurations as target stimu li in order to study the neural substrates involved in the perception of ta rget actions and mental image manipulation during imitation. Bilateral supr amarginal gyrus activation was detected when the S- condition was compared with the Sf condition. Our result suggests the involvement of the supramarg inal gyrus especially For the imitation of novel actions. NeuroReport 12:11 71-1174 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.