The present research was devoted to investigate the neural correlates of imitative perspective-taking with functional MRI. A previous behavioural study on 27 control subjects showed that imitation occurred mainly in a mirror-mode (60% specular performances, p<0,05) when subjects imitate without instructions, and in anatomical mode (93% anatomical performances, p<0,01) when they are asked to use the same or opposite limb as the model.

Nine of 27 control subjects (aged 25-48 years; all right handed) participated to the functional protocol, approved by the local Ethics Committee. Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) cortical responses to intransitive gestures were investigated in two experimental conditions: gesture observation (Observe) and imagery of gesture imitation with the same limb of the model (Imagine to imit). The meaning of "same" was not further specified (as in the previous study). At the end of session each subject was asked about the imagined limb used. Functional MR images were acquired using a 1.5 T MRI scanner and image data were analyzed using BrainVoyager QX 2.3 (Copyright © Rainer Goebel).

Areas of significantly increased activity (vs. resting baseline) for Observe and Imagine to imitate conditions were found in the frontal lobe, the postcentral gyrus, and the middle temporal gyrus. Other cortical areas apparently activated were the lingual and the fusiform gyri. Activation foci were observed in the corpus callosum. The functional meaning of these findings is under investigation.