Mirror Neuron Basics
Specialized neurons that fire both when performing and observing an action.
What are mirror neurons?
The premotor cortex, specifically Area F5, is involved in this type of activity.
What is planning and executing movements?
Mirror neurons help us learn new actions by this process of observing and copying others.
What is imitation?
These 1990s experiments first provided direct evidence of mirror neuron activity.
What are single-neuron recordings in macaque monkeys?
These neurons were first discovered in the 1990s by studying this type of monkey.
What are macaque monkeys?
This parietal lobe structure integrates sensory and motor information for understanding actions.
What is the inferior parietal lobule?
Mirror neuron activity that helps us understand others’ emotions contributes to this social ability.
What is empathy?
Kohler’s 2002 team showed mirror neuron activation not just from sight, but from this type of sensory input.
What is sound or auditory input?
The main function of mirror neurons is to help us understand these two things: others’ ___ and ___.
What are actions and intentions?
This region in the temporal lobe processes visual info about body movements.
What is the superior temporal sulcus?
This skill-based area benefits from mirror neuron activity (think of athletes or musicians perfecting technique)
What is motor learning or skill acquisition?
Mirror neuron principles are used in this form of therapy to help patients regain movement after brain injury.
What is stroke rehabilitation?
This Italian neuroscientist led the research team that first identified mirror neurons.
Who is Giacomo Rizzolatti?
In humans, Broca’s area in this lobe is linked to both language and action understanding.
What is the frontal lobe?
When people around us start laughing and we begin to laugh too, this phenomenon is explained by mirror neuron activity.
What is emotional contagion?
In this digital environment, researchers study how mirror neurons activate when we watch virtual avatars.
What is virtual reality?
Mirror neurons respond most strongly to actions that are this type: goal-directed or random?
What is goal-directed?
Mirror neuron networks link sensory input to this type of neural output.
What is motor output?
Mirror neurons may help explain why this developmental disorder involves challenges in social communication and imitation.
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Dysfunction in mirror neurons has been linked to abnormalities in this neurotransmitter system, often affecting movement.
What is the dopamine system?