Action execution and observation network: the structural connectome supporting variable force perception

Inter-individual interaction is at the basis of social life making it crucial to characterize the functional networks subtending action execution (AE) and action observation (AO). We investigated the integrative properties of previously defined AE and AO functional networks in relation to force perception in terms of their underlying structural brain connectivity. We found that both networks show a strong connectivity between areas involved in sensory/force perception and in motor planning. The cerebellum was engaged both in executing the force-related task and in simulating motor responses, supporting the existence of specific brain networks involving the cerebellum in mirroring and mentalizing mechanisms.