By Nikki Elmi
Mirror neurons are a distinctive class of neurons that activate both when an individual executes a specific action and when they observe another individual performing the same action. Discovered in the early 1990s within the ventral premotor cortex of macaque monkeys, these neurons have since been identified in humans and are believed to play a crucial role in processes such as action recognition, imitation, and empathy. Their unique ability to 'mirror' observed behaviors has positioned them as a central topic in understanding social cognition and interpersonal interactions.
Mirror neurons are specialized sensory-motor cells that respond during both the execution and observation of specific actions. In macaque monkeys, they were initially found in area F5 of the ventral premotor cortex. In humans, analogous mirror neuron systems have been identified in regions including the inferior frontal gyrus and the inferior parietal lobule. These areas are integral to motor planning and action understanding, suggesting that mirror neurons are embedded within neural circuits that link perception and action.
The primary function of mirror neurons is thought to be the facilitation of action understanding by mapping observed actions onto the observer's own motor representations. This mechanism enables individuals to comprehend and predict others' behaviors, forming a foundation for imitation and social learning. Regarding their origin, evidence suggests that mirror neurons develop through sensorimotor associative learning during individual development, rather than being an innate genetic adaptation. This perspective posits that mirror neurons emerge from the integration of sensory and motor experiences over time.
The physiological basis of mirror neurons involves their ability to integrate sensory input with motor output. When an individual observes an action, visual information is processed and relayed to motor regions where mirror neurons reside. These neurons then activate motor representations corresponding to the observed action, effectively 'simulating' the movement internally without actual execution. This internal simulation is thought to be mediated by neural circuits connecting the superior temporal sulcus, which processes visual aspects of actions, with the inferior parietal and frontal regions, where mirror neurons are located.
Mirror neurons represent a fundamental neural mechanism that bridges action execution and observation, playing a pivotal role in social cognition and learning. Their discovery has provided profound insights into how individuals understand and interact with others, highlighting the interconnectedness of perception and action in the brain. Ongoing research continues to unravel the complexities of mirror neuron systems, offering potential pathways for addressing social cognitive impairments and enhancing human social interaction.
References:
American Psychological Association. (2005, October). Mirror neurons: How we reflect on behavior. APA Monitor. https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror
American Confidence Institute. (n.d.). Human see, human do: Mirror neurons. American Confidence Institute. https://www.americanconfidenceinstitute.com/blog/human-see-human-do-mirror-neurons
Cattaneo, L., & Rizzolatti, G. (2009). The mirror neuron system. Nature Reviews Neurology, 6(6), 349–360. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncpneuro0990
Gallese, V., Fadiga, L., Fogassi, L., & Rizzolatti, G. (1996). Action recognition in the premotor cortex. Brain, 119(2), 593–609. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661398012625
Linkovski, O., & Katzin, N. (2017). Mirror neurons and mirror-touch synesthesia: Exploring the connections. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Mirror-Neurons-and-Mirror-Touch-Synesthesia-Linkovski-Katzin/c4997de81a7e7c70132edde20f8644a19342ce30
Oberman, L. M., Pineda, J. A., & Ramachandran, V. S. (2007). The human mirror neuron system: A link between action observation and social skills. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2(1), 62–66. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811910002028
Rizzolatti, G., & Craighero, L. (2004). The mirror-neuron system. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 27(1), 169–192. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3406819/
Rizzolatti, G., & Sinigaglia, C. (2010). The functional role of the parieto-frontal mirror neuron system in action and intention understanding. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(4), 264–274. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3898692/
Wolpert, D. M., Doya, K., & Kawato, M. (2003). Mirror neurons from origin to function. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 25(5), 677–710. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioral-and-brain-sciences/article/abs/mirror-neurons-from-origin-to-function/A376CF4E7269CADFCD9D563A39ADEDC0
By Nikki Elmi