Marco Iacoboni

My research focuses on the neural basis and functional mechanisms of sensorimotor integration. Sensorimotor integration is a fundamental aspect of human behavior and is necessary to perform the most basic acts in everyday life, like reaching for a cup and grasping it. I study sensorimotor integration at three main levels of complexity. First, I address basic mechanisms of sensorimotor integration using both behavioral (accuracy, reaction times) and physiological (blood flow changes, corticospinal excitability) parameters. Second, I study more complex levels of sensorimotor integration by investigating the neural correlates of imitation and the human mirror system. Third, I address even higher levels of sensorimotor integration studying the relationships between action representation and complex integrative functions, such as social cognition and theory of mind.

From a methodological perspective, I use a converging evidence approach. Although most of my research focuses on the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and positron emission tomography (PET), I also use computational modeling, neuropsychology, and psychophysics to study sensorimotor integration, imitation, and higher cognition. From a theoretical standpoint, I adopt the stance that is now known as 'embodiment'. According to this view, the neural representations instantiated by higher cognitive processes are an emergent property of simpler sensorimotor representations, the ones we use to plan our own actions and intentions and to observe and understand the actions and intentions of others.

Three dimensional rendering of the human brain seen from the bottom, with the cerebellum removed. When normal subjects imitate emotional facial expressions of others they activate the inferior frontal cortex (in green). This activation in turn produces greater activity in one of the emotion brain centers, the amygdala (in yellow). The functional connection between the inferior frontal cortex and the amygdala is provided by the anterior insula (in blue). (From Carr et al., 2003 [see below])

The three brain areas lighting up in sequence.

Publications

Iacoboni, M., "Understanding others: imitation, language, empathy" In: Perspectives on imitation: from cognitive neuroscience to social science, Hurley, S., and Chater, N. (Eds), Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, in press [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Interhemispheric visuomotor integration in humans: The role of the superior parietal cortex", Neuropsychologia, in press [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Interhemispheric visuo-motor integration in humans: The effect of redundant targets", Eur. J. Neurosci., 17:1981-6 (2003) [click here for PDF version]

Carr, L., Iacoboni, M., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J.C., and Lenzi G.L., "Neural mechanisms of empathy in humans: A relay from neural systems for imitation to limbic areas", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 100:5497-5502 (2003) [click here for PDF version]

Heiser, M., Iacoboni, M., Maeda, F., Marcus, J., and Mazziotta, J.C., "The essential role of Broca's area in imitation", Eur. J. Neurosci. 17:1123-8 (2003) [click here for PDF version]

Koski, L., Iacoboni, M., Dubeau, M.-C., Woods, R.P., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Modulation of cortical activity during different imitative behaviors", J. Neurophysiol. 89:460-471 (2003) [click here for PDF version]

Aziz-Zadeh, L., Maeda, F., Zaidel, E., Mazziotta, J.C., and Iacoboni, M., "Lateralization in motor facilitation during action observation: a TMS study", Exp. Brain Res. 144:127-31 (2002) [click here for PDF version]

Koski, L., Wohlschläger, A., Bekkering, H., Woods, R.P., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J.C., and Iacoboni, M., "Modulation of motor and premotor activity during imitation of target-directed actions", Cereb. Cortex, 12:847-55 (2002) [click here for PDF version]

Koski, L., Iacoboni, M., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Deconstructing apraxia: Understanding disorders of intentional movement after stroke", Curr. Op. Neurol., 15:71-7 (2002) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., Koski, L., Brass, M., Bekkering, H., Woods, R.P., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J.C., and Rizzolatti, G., "Re-afferent Copies of Imitated Actions in the Right Superior Temporal Cortex", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98:13995-9 (2001) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Crossed-uncrossed difference in simple reaction times to lateralized flashes:between- and within-subjects variability", Neuropsychologia, 38:535-41 (2000) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., Ptito, A., Weekes, N.Y., and Zaidel, E., "Parallel visuomotor processing in the split brain:cortico-subcortical interactions", Brain, 123:759-69 (2000) [click here for PDF version]

Arbib, M.A., Billard, A., Iacoboni, M., and Oztop, E., "Synthetic Brain Imaging: Grasping, Mirror Neurons and Imitation", Neural Networks, 13:975-97 (2000) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "The Crossed-Uncrossed Difference in Simple Reaction Times to Lateralized Auditory Stimuli is not a Measure of Interhemispheric Transmission Time:Evidence from the Split Brain", Exp. Brain Res.,128:421-424 (1999) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., "Adjusting reaches:feedback mechanisms in the posterior parietal cortex", Nature Neurosci. 2:492-4 (1999) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., Brass, M., Bekkering, H., Mazziotta, J.C., and Rizzolatti, G., "Cortical mechanisms of human imitation", Science, 286:2526-8 (1999) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Bimodal (auditory and visual) left frontoparietal circuitry for sensorimotor integration and sensorimotor learning", Brain 121:2135-2143 (1998) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., Lenzi, G.L., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Merging of oculomotor and somatomotor space coding in the human right precentral gyrus", Brain 120:1635-1645 (1997) [click here for PDF version]

Kanwisher, N., Woods, R.P., Iacoboni, M., and Mazziotta, J.C., "A locus in human extrastriate cortex for visual shape analysis", J. Cogn. Neurosci. 9:133-142 (1997)

Iacoboni, M., Rayman, J., and Zaidel, E., "Does the previous trial affect lateralized lexical decision?", Neuropsychologia, 35:81-88 (1997) [click here for PDF version]

Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Brain-behavior relationships:evidence from practice effects in spatial stimulus-response compatibility", J. Neurophysiol. 76:321-331 (1996)

Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Hemispheric independence in word recognition:evidence from unilateral and bilateral presentations", Brain Lang. 53:121-140 (1996) [click here for PDF version]

Geschwind, D.H., Iacoboni, M., Mega, M.S., Zaidel, D.W., Cloughesy, T., and Zaidel, E., "The alien hand syndrome:interhemispheric motor disconnection due to a lesion in the midbody of the corpus callosum", Neurology 45:802-808 (1995)

Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Channels of the corpus callosum:evidence from simple reaction times to lateralized flashes in the normal and the split brain", Brain 118:779-788 (1995)

Iacoboni, M., Fried, I., and Zaidel, E., "Callosal transmission time before and after partial commissurotomy", NeuroReport, 5:2521-2524 (1994)

Woods, R.P., Iacoboni, M., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Bilateral spreading hypoperfusion during spontaneous migraine headache", New Engl. J. Med., 331:1689-1692 (1994)

Marco Iacoboni, M.D. Ph.D.

Research Interests

The three brain areas lighting up in sequence.

Publications



	Marco Iacoboni, M.D. Ph.D. Associate Professor, Neuropsychiatric Institute Director, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Lab Ahmanson Lovelace Brain Mapping Center David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA e-mail: iacoboni@loni.ucla.edu
	Research Interests My research focuses on the neural basis and functional mechanisms of sensorimotor integration. Sensorimotor integration is a fundamental aspect of human behavior and is necessary to perform the most basic acts in everyday life, like reaching for a cup and grasping it. I study sensorimotor integration at three main levels of complexity. First, I address basic mechanisms of sensorimotor integration using both behavioral (accuracy, reaction times) and physiological (blood flow changes, corticospinal excitability) parameters. Second, I study more complex levels of sensorimotor integration by investigating the neural correlates of imitation and the human mirror system. Third, I address even higher levels of sensorimotor integration studying the relationships between action representation and complex integrative functions, such as social cognition and theory of mind. From a methodological perspective, I use a converging evidence approach. Although most of my research focuses on the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and positron emission tomography (PET), I also use computational modeling, neuropsychology, and psychophysics to study sensorimotor integration, imitation, and higher cognition. From a theoretical standpoint, I adopt the stance that is now known as 'embodiment'. According to this view, the neural representations instantiated by higher cognitive processes are an emergent property of simpler sensorimotor representations, the ones we use to plan our own actions and intentions and to observe and understand the actions and intentions of others. Three dimensional rendering of the human brain seen from the bottom, with the cerebellum removed. When normal subjects imitate emotional facial expressions of others they activate the inferior frontal cortex (in green). This activation in turn produces greater activity in one of the emotion brain centers, the amygdala (in yellow). The functional connection between the inferior frontal cortex and the amygdala is provided by the anterior insula (in blue). (From Carr et al., 2003 [see below]) The three brain areas lighting up in sequence. Publications Iacoboni, M., "Understanding others: imitation, language, empathy" In: Perspectives on imitation: from cognitive neuroscience to social science, Hurley, S., and Chater, N. (Eds), Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, in press [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Interhemispheric visuomotor integration in humans: The role of the superior parietal cortex", Neuropsychologia, in press [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Interhemispheric visuo-motor integration in humans: The effect of redundant targets", Eur. J. Neurosci., 17:1981-6 (2003) [click here for PDF version] Carr, L., Iacoboni, M., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J.C., and Lenzi G.L., "Neural mechanisms of empathy in humans: A relay from neural systems for imitation to limbic areas", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 100:5497-5502 (2003) [click here for PDF version] Heiser, M., Iacoboni, M., Maeda, F., Marcus, J., and Mazziotta, J.C., "The essential role of Broca's area in imitation", Eur. J. Neurosci. 17:1123-8 (2003) [click here for PDF version] Koski, L., Iacoboni, M., Dubeau, M.-C., Woods, R.P., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Modulation of cortical activity during different imitative behaviors", J. Neurophysiol. 89:460-471 (2003) [click here for PDF version] Aziz-Zadeh, L., Maeda, F., Zaidel, E., Mazziotta, J.C., and Iacoboni, M., "Lateralization in motor facilitation during action observation: a TMS study", Exp. Brain Res. 144:127-31 (2002) [click here for PDF version] Koski, L., Wohlschläger, A., Bekkering, H., Woods, R.P., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J.C., and Iacoboni, M., "Modulation of motor and premotor activity during imitation of target-directed actions", Cereb. Cortex, 12:847-55 (2002) [click here for PDF version] Koski, L., Iacoboni, M., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Deconstructing apraxia: Understanding disorders of intentional movement after stroke", Curr. Op. Neurol., 15:71-7 (2002) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., "Playing tennis with the cerebellum", Nature Neurosci. 4:555-6 (2001) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., Koski, L., Brass, M., Bekkering, H., Woods, R.P., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J.C., and Rizzolatti, G., "Re-afferent Copies of Imitated Actions in the Right Superior Temporal Cortex", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98:13995-9 (2001) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Crossed-uncrossed difference in simple reaction times to lateralized flashes:between- and within-subjects variability", Neuropsychologia, 38:535-41 (2000) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., Ptito, A., Weekes, N.Y., and Zaidel, E., "Parallel visuomotor processing in the split brain:cortico-subcortical interactions", Brain, 123:759-69 (2000) [click here for PDF version] Arbib, M.A., Billard, A., Iacoboni, M., and Oztop, E., "Synthetic Brain Imaging: Grasping, Mirror Neurons and Imitation", Neural Networks, 13:975-97 (2000) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "The Crossed-Uncrossed Difference in Simple Reaction Times to Lateralized Auditory Stimuli is not a Measure of Interhemispheric Transmission Time:Evidence from the Split Brain", Exp. Brain Res.,128:421-424 (1999) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., "Adjusting reaches:feedback mechanisms in the posterior parietal cortex", Nature Neurosci. 2:492-4 (1999) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., Brass, M., Bekkering, H., Mazziotta, J.C., and Rizzolatti, G., "Cortical mechanisms of human imitation", Science, 286:2526-8 (1999) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Bimodal (auditory and visual) left frontoparietal circuitry for sensorimotor integration and sensorimotor learning", Brain 121:2135-2143 (1998) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., Lenzi, G.L., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Merging of oculomotor and somatomotor space coding in the human right precentral gyrus", Brain 120:1635-1645 (1997) [click here for PDF version] Kanwisher, N., Woods, R.P., Iacoboni, M., and Mazziotta, J.C., "A locus in human extrastriate cortex for visual shape analysis", J. Cogn. Neurosci. 9:133-142 (1997) Iacoboni, M., Rayman, J., and Zaidel, E., "Does the previous trial affect lateralized lexical decision?", Neuropsychologia, 35:81-88 (1997) [click here for PDF version] Iacoboni, M., Woods, R.P., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Brain-behavior relationships:evidence from practice effects in spatial stimulus-response compatibility", J. Neurophysiol. 76:321-331 (1996) Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Hemispheric independence in word recognition:evidence from unilateral and bilateral presentations", Brain Lang. 53:121-140 (1996) [click here for PDF version] Geschwind, D.H., Iacoboni, M., Mega, M.S., Zaidel, D.W., Cloughesy, T., and Zaidel, E., "The alien hand syndrome:interhemispheric motor disconnection due to a lesion in the midbody of the corpus callosum", Neurology 45:802-808 (1995) Iacoboni, M., and Zaidel, E., "Channels of the corpus callosum:evidence from simple reaction times to lateralized flashes in the normal and the split brain", Brain 118:779-788 (1995) Iacoboni, M., Fried, I., and Zaidel, E., "Callosal transmission time before and after partial commissurotomy", NeuroReport, 5:2521-2524 (1994) Woods, R.P., Iacoboni, M., and Mazziotta, J.C., "Bilateral spreading hypoperfusion during spontaneous migraine headache", New Engl. J. Med., 331:1689-1692 (1994)