Brain Network for Emotional Body Language Reading: Structural and Effective Connectivity (P6.215)
Citation Manager Formats
Make Comment
See Comments

Abstract
Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the architecture of the social brain network for reading of emotional body language through integration of structural and effective connectivity.
Background: Understanding body language is indispensable for successful non-verbal communication and daily-life social interaction. Despite this significant clinical impact, the underlying social brain networks and their dysfunction after brain damage little understood.
Design/Methods: We performed functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in 17 healthy right-handed male participants during recognition of emotions (happy, neutral and angry) conveyed by a point-light arm seen knocking on a door. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12; The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, London, UK, http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm) was used for data pre-processing, fMRI data and dynamic causal modelling (DCM) analysis of effective connectivity, and the FMRIB Software Library (FSL4, Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, UK, http://www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl) for probabilistic tractography on the DTI data.
Results: The results show that the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) and caudate nucleus are preferentially activated by happy, and the left inferior insula, perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and posterior midcingulate cortex (MCC) by angry as compared to neutral body motion. The cerebellar vermis (lobule IX) and right amygdala appear to signal a lack of emotional content. Measures of structural connection strength usefully inform effective connectivity analysis that reveals functional architecture within this network.
Conclusions: This study for the first time reveals the components, structural connections and functional interactions of the brain network for reading of emotional body language reading. The data contribute to better clinical consideration and understanding of socio-cognitive deficits after damage to this network. In addition, the developed effective-structural connectivity analysis may open new perspectives in task-related brain imaging assessment of different functional networks in normalcy and neuropsychiatric pathology, also outside the immediate field.
Study Supported by: A research grant for junior academic clinicians by the fund of the Research Committee of the Faculty for Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Switzerland to A.A.S.
Disclosure: Dr. Sokolov has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zeidman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Erb has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grodd has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pollick has nothing to disclose. Dr. Frackowiak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Friston has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pavlova has nothing to disclose.
Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
If you are uploading a letter concerning an article:
You must have updated your disclosures within six months: http://submit.neurology.org
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Related Articles
- No related articles found.