Brain mechanisms of perceiving tools and imagining tool use acts: A functional MRI study

► fMRI was used to examine brain response to viewing tools and imagining tool use acts. ► Imagined tool use recruited motor and TPJ areas more than viewing tools. ► Tool viewing activated regions associated with semantic and visuospatial processing. ► Gender differences emerged as differential activation in frontal and parietal regions. ► Perception and imagination of tools may activate similar regions as to action.