A Step Forward for Mirror Neurons? Investigating the Functional Link between Action Execution and Action Observation in Limb Apraxia

The evolutionary continuity between the prespeech functions of premotor cortex and its new linguistic functions, the main thesis of MacNeilage's target article, is confirmed by the recent discovery of “mirror” neurons in monkeys and a corresponding action-observation/action-execution matching system in humans. Physiological data (and other considerations) appear to indicate, however, that brachiomanual gestures played a greater role in language evolution than MacNeilage would like to admit.

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External Behavior Monitoring Mirrors Internal Behavior Monitoring

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803.19.4.281 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 281-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Alan T. Bates ◽

Tina P. Patel ◽

Peter F. Liddle

Keyword(s):

Observational Learning ◽

Error Detection ◽

Mirror Neurons ◽

Action Observation ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Action Execution ◽

Error Related Negativity ◽

Behavior Monitoring ◽

External Behavior ◽

The Brain

Abstract: The discovery of mirror neurons in monkeys has reshaped thinking about how the brain processes observed actions. There is growing evidence that these neurons, which show similar firing patterns for action execution and observation, also exist in humans. Many parts of the motor system required to perform a specific action are activated during the observation of the same action. We hypothesized that behavior monitoring that occurs during action execution is mirrored during action observation. To test this, we measured error negativity/error-related negativity (Ne/ERN) while participants performed and observed a Go/NoGo task. The Ne/ERN is an event-related potential that is thought to reflect an error detection process in the brain. In addition to finding an Ne/ERN for performed errors, we found that an Ne/ERN was also generated for observed errors. The Ne/ERN for observed errors may reflect a system that plays a key role in imitation and observational learning.

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Mesial frontal cortex and super mirror neurons

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x07003214 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 30-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Marco Iacoboni

Keyword(s):

Frontal Cortex ◽

Mirror Neurons ◽

Action Observation ◽

Neural Mechanism ◽

Action Execution ◽

Depth Electrode ◽

Mesial Frontal Cortex

AbstractDepth electrode recordings in the human mesial frontal cortex have revealed individual neurons with mirror properties. A third of these cells have excitatory properties during action execution and inhibitory properties during action observation. These cells – which we call super mirror neurons – provide the neural mechanism that implements the functions of layers 3+4 of the shared circuits model (SCM).

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The extended features of mirror neurons and the voluntary control of vocalization in the pathway to language

Language and Cognition ◽

10.1515/langcog-2013-0009 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (2-3) ◽

pp. 145-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Leonardo Fogassi ◽

Gino Coudé ◽

Pier Francesco Ferrari

Keyword(s):

Motor Cortex ◽

Mirror Neurons ◽

Action Observation ◽

Mirror System ◽

Voluntary Control ◽

Action Execution ◽

Action Sequences ◽

Neurophysiological Data ◽

Action Goals

AbstractIn this book it has been proposed that the mirror system can be a scaffold for building a language-ready brain, because of its property of matching action observation with action execution, a feature that can correspond to the “parity” requirement for communication. In this commentary we will first emphasize two properties of mirror neurons and motor cortex that may have contributed to language: the generalization of the property of understanding action goals and the capacity to decode the goal of action sequences. Then we will propose, based on recent behavioural and neurophysiological data in monkeys, that the vocalization in non-human primates could have reached a partial voluntary control, thus contributing to the emergence of a communicative system relying on the coordination of gestures and utterances.

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Mirror neurons precede non-mirror neurons during action execution

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00653.2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 122 (6) ◽

pp. 2630-2635

Author(s):

Kevin A. Mazurek ◽

Marc H. Schieber

Keyword(s):

Mirror Neurons ◽

Markov Models ◽

Action Observation ◽

Mirror Neuron ◽

Leading Edge ◽

Population Level ◽

State Transitions ◽

Neuron Activity ◽

Action Execution ◽

Neuron Populations

Mirror neurons are thought to represent an individual’s ability to understand the actions of others by discharging as one individual performs or observes another individual performing an action. Studies typically have focused on mirror neuron activity during action observation, examining activity during action execution primarily to validate mirror neuron involvement in the motor act. As a result, little is known about the precise role of mirror neurons during action execution. In this study, during execution of reach-grasp-manipulate movements, we found activity of mirror neurons generally preceded that of non-mirror neurons. Not only did the onset of task-related modulation occur earlier in mirror neurons, but state transitions detected by hidden Markov models also occurred earlier in mirror neuron populations. Our findings suggest that mirror neurons may be at the forefront of action execution. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Mirror neurons commonly are thought to provide a neural substrate for understanding the actions of others, but mirror neurons also are active during action execution, when additional, non-mirror neurons are active as well. Examining the timing of activity during execution of a naturalistic reach-grasp-manipulate task, we found that mirror neuron activity precedes that of non-mirror neurons at both the unit and the population level. Thus mirror neurons may be at the leading edge of action execution.

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Prior action execution has no effect on corticospinal facilitation during action observation

Behavioural Brain Research ◽

10.1016/j.bbr.2012.03.009 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 231 (1) ◽

pp. 124-129 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Michela Loporto ◽

Craig J. McAllister ◽

Martin G. Edwards ◽

David J. Wright ◽

Paul S. Holmes

Keyword(s):

Action Observation ◽

Action Execution ◽

Prior Action

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Embodied Resonance

The Oxford Handbook of 4E Cognition ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198735410.013.22 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 416-432

Author(s):

Vittorio Gallese ◽

Corrado Sinigaglia

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Mirror Neurons ◽

Common Ground ◽

Mental Simulation ◽

Action Execution ◽

Brain Areas ◽

Embodied Simulation ◽

Distinctive Features ◽

Macaque Monkeys

Mental simulation was claimed to provide a distinctive way of gaining knowledge about others’ actions and thoughts since the late 1980s. A decade later, the discovery of mirror neurons in macaque monkeys and the evidence of mirror brain areas in humans presented a new angle on this claim, suggesting also an embodied approach to simulation. The aim of the present chapter is to introduce and discuss this embodied approach and its role in basic social cognition. In doing this, we shall start by characterizing the distinctive features of embodied simulation (ES), especially in relation to its its motor aspects. Then, we shall provide evidence for the claim that ES may be critically involved in understanding others’ actions. Finally, we shall explore the conjecture that ES might involve a common ground for action execution and observation not only at the functional but also at the phenomenological level.

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fMRI Adaptation between Action Observation and Action Execution Reveals Cortical Areas with Mirror Neuron Properties in Human BA 44/45

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnhum.2016.00078 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Stephan de la Rosa ◽

Frieder L. Schillinger ◽

Heinrich H. Bülthoff ◽

Johannes Schultz ◽

Kamil Uludag

Keyword(s):

Action Observation ◽

Mirror Neuron ◽

Action Execution ◽

Cortical Areas ◽

Fmri Adaptation

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Matching action observation to action execution

Brain Stimulation ◽

10.1016/j.brs.2017.01.099 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 372

Author(s):

M. Soriano ◽

A. Cavallo ◽

C. Becchio

Keyword(s):

Action Observation ◽

Action Execution

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Action observation therapy in pediatric patients with neuromotor deficits of the upper limbs secondary to central nervous system tumors

Tumori Journal ◽

10.1177/0300891619880603 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 105 (6) ◽

pp. NP75-NP78

Author(s):

Marco Chisari ◽

Raffaella Sensi ◽

Carlo Alfredo Clerici ◽

Fulvia Angela Gariboldi ◽

Filippo Spreafico ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Mirror Neurons ◽

Action Observation ◽

Case Series ◽

Central Nervous System Tumor ◽

Assessment Tests ◽

System Tumor ◽

Positive Results

This study reports a case series of patients with upper limb neuromotor deficits following pediatric central nervous system tumor and treated with rehabilitative therapy according to action observation therapy (AOT). AOT is based on the “mirror neurons” system and had positive results in various non-oncologic neurologic pathologies. This study is the first experience in the oncology field, and included 6 patients, 4 of whom were fully evaluated at 6-month follow-up. In all patients, therapy showed improvement in all assessment tests. These promising results lead to further studies to confirm their effectiveness.

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