The trend in the frontal area activity shift with embodied knowledge acquisition during imitation learning of assembly work

Abstract

This paper discusses the relationship between brain activity and improvement of skills during the process of embodied knowledge acquisition by imitation. Study subjects watched a video clip of a working procedure and then executed the same series of actions. Each experiment was conducted twice. After the first experiment, we set up three practice trials. Using near-infrared spectroscopy, we found that the trend in oxy-hemoglobin levels during the observation task shifted toward a low-level increase in the dorsolateral prefrontal area and a low-level decrease in the frontal lobe with improvement in performing the skill. In the execution task, the trend in oxy-hemoglobin shifted toward an increase in the dorsolateral prefrontal area and toward a decrease in the frontal pole with improvement in skill performance. These results suggest that activity in the frontal area changes during the process of embodied knowledge acquisition.