The mirror neuron system and the consequences of its dysfunction

Iacoboni, Marco; Dapretto, Mirella

doi:10.1038/nrn2024

Cited by 1,163 publications

(856 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…Human mirror neuron research has indicated that perceiving an action activates similar cortical networks as executing the same action (Gallese, Fadiga, Fogassi, & Rizzolatti, 1996; for a review see Iacoboni & Dapretto, 2006). This corresponds to the notion that perception and action share common representational codes (Hommel, Müsseler, Aschersleben, & Prinz, 2001;Prinz, 1990Prinz, , 1997.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motor execution affects action prediction

Springer

Brandstädter

Liepelt

et al. 2011

Brain and Cognition

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a b s t r a c tPrevious studies provided evidence of the claim that the prediction of occluded action involves real-time simulation. We report two experiments that aimed to study how real-time simulation is affected by simultaneous action execution under conditions of full, partial or no overlap between observed and executed actions. This overlap was analysed by comparing the body sides and the movement kinematics involved in the observed and the executed action. While performing actions, participants observed point-light (PL) actions that were interrupted by an occluder, followed by a test pose. The task was to judge whether the test pose depicted a continuation of the occluded action in the same depth angle. Using a paradigm proposed by Graf et al., we independently manipulated the duration of the occluder and the temporal advance of the test pose relative to occlusion onset (occluder time and pose time, respectively). This paradigm allows the assessment of real-time simulation, based on prediction performance across different occluder time/pose time combinations (i.e., improved task performance with decreasing time distance between occluder time and pose time is taken to reflect real-time simulation). The PL actor could be perceived as from the front or back, as indicated by task instructions. In Experiment 1 (front view instructions), evidence of action simulation was obtained for partial overlap (i.e., observed and performed action corresponded either in body side or movement kinematics), but not for full or no overlap conditions. The same pattern was obtained in Experiment 2 (back view instructions), ruling out a spatial compatibility explanation for the real-time pattern observed. Our results suggest that motor processes affect action prediction and real-time simulation. The strength of their impact varies as a function of the overlap between observed and executed actions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motor execution affects action prediction

Springer

Brandstädter

Liepelt

et al. 2011

Brain and Cognition

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“…Both object words and verbs evoked more activation in IPL than subject words and the checkerboard did, indicating that the mirror neuron system in the bilateral parietal lobe may reflect action representation in the brain (Iacoboni & Dapretto, 2006). Object words induced stronger activation in the right precentral gyrus/inferior frontal gyrus (BA44) than subject words and the checkerboard did, indicating that the mirror neuron system in the right ventral frontal lobe is more sensitive to the pre‐presented object word.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Neuroimaging studies have provided abundant and strong evidence for the role of the mirror neuron system (MNS) in action observation and imitation (Iacoboni & Dapretto, 2006; Iacoboni et al., 1999; Molenberghs, Brander, Mattingley, & Cunnington, 2010; Molnar‐Szakacs, Kaplan, Greenfield, & Iacoboni, 2006; Montgomery & Haxby, 2008; Rizzolatti, Cattaneo, Fabbri‐Destro, & Rozzi, 2014; Rizzolatti & Craighero, 2004; Rizzolatti, Fogassi, & Gallese, 2001; Rizzolatti & Sinigaglia, 2010). These data clearly show that a frontoparietal mirror neuron system underlying imitation coincides with that which is active during action observation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Object words modulate the activity of the mirror neuron system during action imitation

Tang

et al. 2017

Brain and Behavior

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BackgroundAlthough research has demonstrated that the mirror neuron system (MNS) plays a crucial role in both action imitation and action‐related semantic processing, whether action‐related words can inversely modulate the MNS activity remains unclear.MethodsHere, three types of task‐irrelevant words (body parts, verbs, and manufactured objects) were presented to examine the modulation effect of these words on the MNS activity during action observation and imitation. Twenty‐two participants were recruited for the fMRI scanning and remaining data from 19 subjects were reported here.ResultsBrain activity results showed that word types elicited different modulation effects over nodes of the MNS (i.e., the right inferior frontal gyrus, premotor cortex, inferior parietal lobule, and STS), especially during the imitation stage. Compared with other word conditions, action imitation following manufactured objects words induced stronger activation in these brain regions during the imitation stage. These results were consistent in both task‐dependent and ‐independent ROI analysis.ConclusionOur findings thus provide evidence for the unique effect of object words on the MNS during imitation of action, which may also confirm the key role of goal inference in action imitation.

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“…As explained in an earlier section, this is because infants are capable of understanding very basic similarities about self and other, but are not capable of running a highly cognitive process like a simulation. On the other hand, ST might be able to overcome the problem of infant simulation by appealing to mirror neuron or some other neurological research (Brothers 1989, p. 13;Iacoboni 2009;Iacoboni and Dapretto 2006;Chakrabarti and Baron-Cohen 2006;Preston and De Waal 2002;Gallese 2003). Mirror neurons are special neurons that people (as well as several other animals) possess that regularly fire both when I perform an action and when I observe others performing a similar action.…”

Section: The Relation Between Simulations and Narrativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Empathizing with patients: the role of interaction and narratives in providing better patient care

Hardy

2016

Med Health Care and Philos

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Recent studies have revealed a drop in the ability of physicians to empathize with their patients. It is argued that empathy training needs to be provided to both medical students and physicians in order to improve patient care. While it may be true that empathy would lead to better patient care, it is important that the right theory of empathy is being encouraged. This paper examines and critiques the prominent explanation of empathy being used in medicine. Focusing on the component of empathy that allows us to understand others, it is argued that this understanding is accomplished through a simulation. However, simulation theory is not the best explanation of empathy for medicine, since it involves a limited perspective in which to understand the patient. In response to the limitations and objections to simulation theory, interaction theory is presented as a promising alternative. This theory explains the physicians understanding of patients from diverse backgrounds as an ability to learn and apply narratives. By explaining how we understand others, without limiting our ability to understand various others, interaction theory is more likely than simulation theory to provide better patient care, and therefore is a better theory of empathy for the medical field.

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The mirror neuron system and the consequences of its dysfunction

Cited by 1,163 publications

References 108 publications

Motor execution affects action prediction

Motor execution affects action prediction

Object words modulate the activity of the mirror neuron system during action imitation

Empathizing with patients: the role of interaction and narratives in providing better patient care

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