Brain activity related to action- and non-action related sounds in a three-dimensional sound reproduction system

The mirror neuron system (MNS) is the brain region that is activated when seeing the sight or hearing the sound of another's action. We investigated whether the mirror neuron system shows differential activation for action-related and non-action-related sounds and whether it is susceptible to the quality of the sounds. In this experiment, we used a threedimensional sound field reproduction and recording system based on the boundary surface control principle (BoSC). Murhythms of EEG over the sensorimotor cortex (Fz, Cz, C3 and C4 electrodes) were recorded throughout the experiment. The results showed significant differences between action-related and non-action-related sounds at Cz and C3 through 62ch loudspeakers. We found a significant difference between 1-ch and 62-ch loudspeakers when subjects listened to actionrelated sounds. These results confirm that the mirror neuron system is activated in a three-dimensional sound reproduction system when we listen to action-related sounds.