Hui-jin Song1, Joo-hyun Kim1,
Jeehye Seo1, Moon-jung Hwang2, Young-ju Lee2,
Kyung Jin Suh3, Sung Woo Kim3, Young Hwan Lee4,
Dong Soo Yoo5, Yongmin Chang1,6
1Medical & Biological Engineering,
Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea, Republic of; 2GE
healthcare, Seoul; 3Dongguk University, Gyungju; 4Radiology,
College of Medicine, Catholic University, Daegu; 5Radiology,
College of Medicine, Dankook University, Chunan; 6Diagnostic
Radiology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea, Republic of
Although
the mirror neuron system has been extensively studied, no functional imaging
data are currently available to gain insight in the possible difference of
the mirror system between experts and novices. Therefore, the aim of the
present study is to investigate the differences of activation in the mirror
neuron system during viewing tool use familiar to experts between expert
archers and novice subjects. Our results demonstrated that expert archers
showed strong activation in the mirror neuron system during viewing videos of
Western-style archery relative to inexpert control subjects. Taken together,
our data consistent with previous reports suggest that human mirror neuron
system could contain representations of tool use and expand motor repertoire
with tool use experiences.