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Modulation of biological motion perception in humans by gravity

Author

Listed:
  • Ying Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Institute for Brain Research)

  • Xue Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Institute for Brain Research
    Flight Technology college, Civil Aviation Flight University of China)

  • Chunhui Wang

    (National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center)

  • Weifen Huang

    (National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center)

  • Qian Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Institute for Brain Research)

  • Dong Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Institute for Brain Research)

  • Wen Zhou

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Institute for Brain Research)

  • Shanguang Chen

    (National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, China Astronaut Research and Training Center
    China Manned Space Agency)

  • Yi Jiang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Institute for Brain Research
    Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center)

Abstract

The human visual perceptual system is highly sensitive to biological motion (BM) but less sensitive to its inverted counterpart. This perceptual inversion effect may stem from our selective sensitivity to gravity-constrained life motion signals and confer an adaptive advantage to creatures living on Earth. However, to what extent and how such selective sensitivity is shaped by the Earth’s gravitational field is heretofore unexplored. Taking advantage of a spaceflight experiment and its ground-based analog via 6° head-down tilt bed rest (HDTBR), we show that prolonged microgravity/HDTBR reduces the inversion effect in BM perception. No such change occurs for face perception, highlighting the particular role of gravity in regulating kinematic motion analysis. Moreover, the reduced BM inversion effect is associated with attenuated orientation-dependent neural responses to BM rather than general motion cues and correlated with strengthened functional connectivity between cortical regions dedicated to visual BM processing (i.e., pSTS) and vestibular gravity estimation (i.e., insula). These findings suggest that the neural computation of gravity may act as an embodied constraint, presumably implemented through visuo-vestibular interaction, to sustain the human brain’s selective tuning to life motion signals.

Suggested Citation

  • Ying Wang & Xue Zhang & Chunhui Wang & Weifen Huang & Qian Xu & Dong Liu & Wen Zhou & Shanguang Chen & Yi Jiang, 2022. "Modulation of biological motion perception in humans by gravity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30347-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30347-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Russell Epstein & Nancy Kanwisher, 1998. "A cortical representation of the local visual environment," Nature, Nature, vol. 392(6676), pages 598-601, April.
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