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Sensorimotor learning configures the human mirror system.

Caroline Catmur1, Vincent Walsh, Cecilia Heyes

  • 1Department of Psychology, University College London, London, UK. c.catmur@ucl.ac.uk

Current Biology : CB
|August 25, 2007
PubMed
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The human mirror system, crucial for social understanding, can be trained to reverse its function. This suggests mirror neuron properties develop through sensorimotor learning and social interaction, rather than being innate.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • The mirror system involves neurons firing both during action execution and observation.
  • This system, located in premotor and parietal cortices, is vital for social cognition, theory of mind, and language acquisition.
  • The mechanism by which mirror neurons acquire their properties remains largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how mirror neurons acquire their mirroring properties.
  • To determine if the human mirror system's selectivity can be manipulated through training.
  • To explore the role of sensorimotor learning in shaping mirror system function.

Main Methods:

  • Participants underwent training where they performed one action while observing a different action.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the motor cortex was used to measure muscle-specific responses.
  • Responses were assessed before and after the training period to observe changes in mirror system activity.

    • Main Results:

    • Before training, participants exhibited typical mirror responses, showing muscle activity during observation mirroring executed actions.
    • After training, the mirror effect was reversed, indicating a manipulation of the mirror system's selectivity.
    • These findings demonstrate that mirror properties are not fixed but can be altered through experience.

    Conclusions:

    • The mirror properties of the human mirror system are adaptable and develop through sensorimotor learning.
    • The mirror system is shaped by social interaction and is not solely innate or fixed.
    • This research provides insights into the plasticity and developmental nature of neural mechanisms underlying social cognition.