Mirror Neuron A mirror
neuron is a premotor
neuron
which fires
both
when an animal acts
and when
the animal observes the same action
performed by another (especially conspecific)
animal. Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior
of another
animal, as though the observer were itself acting. These
neurons have
been directly observed in primates,
and are believed to exist in humans
and in some birds.
In humans, brain activity consistent
with mirror neurons has been
found in the premotor
cortex and the
inferior
parietal cortex.
Some scientists consider mirror neurons one of the most important
findings of neuroscience
in the last decade. Among them is V.S.
Ramachandran,
who believes they might be very important in imitation and language
acquisition.
However, despite the popularity of this field, to date no plausible
neural or computational models have been put forward to describe how
mirror neuron activity supports cognitive functions such as
imitation.In the macaque monkey,
mirror neurons are found in the ventral premotor cortex (probably the
equivalent of the inferior
frontal gyrus in humans) and in the anterior inferior
parietal lobule. These neurons are active when the monkeys
perform certain tasks, but they also fire when the monkeys watch or
hear someone else perform the same specific task. Researchers using
fMRI, TMS,
and EEG
have found evidence of a similar system (matching observations with
actions), in the human brain.The function of the mirror system is a subject of
much speculation. These neurons may be important for understanding
the actions of other people, and for learning new skills by
imitation. Some researchers also speculate that mirror systems may
simulate observed actions, and thus contribute to our theory
of mind skills, while others relate mirror neurons to language
abilities. It has also been proposed that problems with the mirror
system may underlie cognitive disorders, in particular autism.
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