Editing Mirror neuron (section)

{{Redirect|Mirror system|the band|Mirror System}}
{{Short description|Type of neuron associated with empathy}}
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A '''mirror neuron''' is a [[neuron]] that [[action potential|fires]] both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another.<ref name="RizzolattiCraighero2004">{{cite journal | vauthors = Rizzolatti G, Craighero L | title = The mirror-neuron system | journal = Annual Review of Neuroscience | volume = 27 | issue = 1 | pages = 169–192 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15217330 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144230 | s2cid = 1729870 }}</ref><ref name="Keysers 2009">{{cite journal | vauthors = Keysers C | title = Mirror neurons | journal = Current Biology | volume = 19 | issue = 21 | pages = R971–R973 | date = November 2009 | pmid = 19922849 | doi = 10.1016/j.cub.2009.08.026 | s2cid = 12668046 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2009CBio...19.R971K | hdl = 20.500.11755/c62977db-8a4e-4cc9-b82a-5013b52a0bc6 | hdl-access = free }}</ref><ref name="EmpathicBrain">{{cite book | vauthors = Keysers C |title=The Empathic Brain |date=2011-06-23 |publisher=Kindle}}</ref> Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were itself acting. Mirror neurons are not always physiologically distinct from other types of neurons in the brain; their main differentiating factor is their response patterns.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Acharya |first1=Sourya |last2=Shukla |first2=Samarth |title=Mirror neurons: Enigma of the metaphysical modular brain |journal=Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine |date=2012 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=118–124 |doi=10.4103/0976-9668.101878 |pmid=23225972 |pmc=3510904 |doi-access=free }}</ref> By this definition, such neurons have been directly observed in humans<ref name="Mukamel">{{cite journal | vauthors = Mukamel R, Ekstrom AD, Kaplan J, Iacoboni M, Fried I | title = Single-neuron responses in humans during execution and observation of actions | journal = Current Biology | volume = 20 | issue = 8 | pages = 750–756 | date = April 2010 | pmid = 20381353 | pmc = 2904852 | doi = 10.1016/j.cub.2010.02.045 | bibcode = 2010CBio...20..750M }}</ref> and other [[primate|primates]],<ref name="architalbiol.org">{{cite journal | vauthors = Rizzolatti G, Fadiga L, Fogassi L, Gallese V | title = Resonance behaviors and mirror neurons | journal = Archives Italiennes de Biologie | volume = 137 | issue = 2–3 | pages = 85–100 | date = May 1999 | pmid = 10349488 | url = http://www.architalbiol.org/aib/article/view/575/532 }}</ref> as well as in birds.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Prather JF, Peters S, Nowicki S, Mooney R | title = Precise auditory-vocal mirroring in neurons for learned vocal communication | journal = Nature | volume = 451 | issue = 7176 | pages = 305–310 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 18202651 | doi = 10.1038/nature06492 | s2cid = 4344150 | bibcode = 2008Natur.451..305P }}</ref>

In humans, brain activity consistent with that of mirror neurons has been found in the [[premotor cortex]], the [[supplementary motor area]], the [[Postcentral gyrus|primary somatosensory cortex]], and the [[parietal lobe|inferior parietal cortex]].<ref name="pmid19580913">{{cite journal | vauthors = Molenberghs P, Cunnington R, Mattingley JB | title = Is the mirror neuron system involved in imitation? A short review and meta-analysis | journal = Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews | volume = 33 | issue = 7 | pages = 975–980 | date = July 2009 | pmid = 19580913 | doi = 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.03.010 | s2cid = 25620637 | url = https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/d8f4e6d1-41d6-4646-9012-2b7b39c8f89d }}</ref> The function of the mirror system in humans is a subject of much speculation. Birds have been shown to have imitative resonance behaviors and neurological evidence suggests the presence of some form of mirroring system.<ref name="architalbiol.org" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Akins CK, Klein ED, Zentall TR | title = Imitative learning in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) using the bidirectional control procedure | journal = Animal Learning & Behavior | volume = 30 | issue = 3 | pages = 275–281 | date = August 2002 | pmid = 12391793 | doi = 10.3758/bf03192836 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
To date, no widely accepted neural or computational models have been put forward to describe how mirror neuron activity supports cognitive functions.<ref name="Dinstein">{{cite journal | vauthors = Dinstein I, Thomas C, Behrmann M, Heeger DJ | title = A mirror up to nature | journal = Current Biology | volume = 18 | issue = 1 | pages = R13–R18 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 18177704 | pmc = 2517574 | doi = 10.1016/j.cub.2007.11.004 | bibcode = 2008CBio...18..R13D }}</ref><ref name="Hickok" /><ref name=Heyes2010>{{cite journal |last1=Heyes |first1=Cecilia |title=Where do mirror neurons come from? |journal=Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews |date=March 2010 |volume=34 |issue=4 |pages=575–583 |doi=10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.007 |pmid=19914284 |s2cid=2578537 }}</ref> 

The subject of mirror neurons continues to generate intense debate. In 2014, ''[[Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B]]'' published a special issue entirely devoted to mirror neuron research.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ferrari PF, Rizzolatti G | title = Mirror neuron research: the past and the future | journal = Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences | volume = 369 | issue = 1644 | pages = 20130169 | year = 2014 | pmid = 24778369 | pmc = 4006175 | doi = 10.1098/rstb.2013.0169 }}</ref> Some researchers speculate that mirror systems may simulate observed actions, and thus contribute to [[theory of mind]] skills,<ref name="pmid17015092">{{cite book | vauthors = Keysers C, Gazzola V | title = Understanding Emotions | chapter = Towards a unifying neural theory of social cognition | series = Progress in Brain Research | volume = 156 | pages = 379–401 | date = 2006 | pmid = 17015092 | doi = 10.1016/S0079-6123(06)56021-2 | isbn = 9780444521828 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Arbib MA | title = How the brain got language: The mirror system hypothesis. | publisher = Oxford University Press | date = April 2012 }}</ref> while others relate mirror neurons to [[language]] abilities.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Théoret H, Pascual-Leone A | title = Language acquisition: do as you hear | journal = Current Biology | volume = 12 | issue = 21 | pages = R736–R737 | date = October 2002 | pmid = 12419204 | doi = 10.1016/S0960-9822(02)01251-4 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2002CBio...12.R736T }}</ref> Neuroscientists such as Marco Iacoboni have argued that mirror neuron systems in the [[human brain]] help humans understand the actions and intentions of other people. In addition, Iacoboni has argued that mirror neurons are the neural basis of the human capacity for emotions such as [[empathy]].<ref>{{cite news | vauthors = Blakeslee S |title=Cells That Read Minds |newspaper=New York Times {{pipe}} Science |date=January 10, 2006 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/10/science/10mirr.html?pagewanted=all}}</ref>