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Mirror neuron system: basic findings and clinical applications
Author(s) -
Iacoboni Marco,
Mazziotta John C.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.21198
Subject(s) - mirror neuron , autism , neuroscience , psychology , mechanism (biology) , neuron , inferior parietal lobule , upper motor neuron , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , functional magnetic resonance imaging , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , physics , disease , pathology , quantum mechanics
In primates, ventral premotor and rostral inferior parietal neurons fire during the execution of hand and mouth actions. Some cells (called mirror neurons ) also fire when hand and mouth actions are just observed. Mirror neurons provide a simple neural mechanism for understanding the actions of others. In humans, posterior inferior frontal and rostral inferior parietal areas have mirror properties. These human areas are relevant to imitative learning and social behavior. Indeed, the socially isolating condition of autism is associated with a deficit in mirror neuron areas. Strategies inspired by mirror neuron research recently have been used in the treatment of autism and in motor rehabilitation after stroke. Ann Neurol 2007