School-aged children exhibit domain-specific responses to biological motion

Abstract

Prior studies have implicated the superior temporal sulcus region for processing various types of biological motion in children and adults. However, no previous research in children compared this activity to that involved in coherent, meaningful, non-biological motion perception to show specificity for biological motion processing. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore which brain regions were specific for biological motion in 7- to 10-year-old children. We compared brain activity in response to biological motion by a biological figure (a walking human); biological motion by a non-biological figure (a walking robot); disorganized, non-biological motion by a disjointed mechanical figure; and organized, non-biological motion by a grandfather clock. We identified a network of brain regions that had a greater response evoked by biological than by non-biological motion, including the superior temporal sulcus and mirror neuron regions. Additionally, we found a developmental change suggesting increasing specificity for biological motion with age in the superior temporal sulcus region. We discuss these results in the context of research and theory that has emphasized the important role of biological motion perception in the development of theory-of-mind abilities.

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a Career Development Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (K01 MH071284), a John Merck Scholars Award, and a grant from the National Alliance for Autism Research/Autism Speaks to KAP.

We thank Heather Lucas for help collecting, analyzing, and discussing these data. We thank the children and their families who generously gave their time and effort to make this research possible.