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Related Concept Videos

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay01:27

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is  a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological states or needs.
Diencephalon: Anatomical Regions01:30

Diencephalon: Anatomical Regions

The diencephalon, etymologically translated as 'through brain,' plays an integral role as the conduit between the cerebrum and the vast extent of the nervous system. However, the olfactory system is an exception, as it interfaces directly with the cerebrum. The diencephalon, deeply ensconced beneath the cerebrum, primarily consists of three paired structures — the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithelamus. It also includes accessory structures such as the subthalamus, which houses the subthalamic...
Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Brainstem01:19

Brainstem

The brainstem, located inferior to the brain and superior to the spinal cord, serves as a bridge between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It plays a vital role in relaying information and controlling critical life functions. It comprises three primary regions: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...

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A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
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Where do mirror neurons come from?

Cecilia Heyes1

  • 1All Souls College & Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, All Souls College, High Street, Oxford OX1 4AL, UK. Cecilia.Heyes@all-souls.ox.ac.uk

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|November 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The mirror neuron system may arise from associative learning rather than direct adaptation. This learning-based origin explains human-monkey differences and the system's flexibility in social cognition.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The mirror neuron system's evolutionary origin is debated, with hypotheses suggesting it's an adaptation for action understanding or a byproduct of associative learning.
  • Understanding the basis of mirror neurons is crucial for comprehending social cognition and action representation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the adaptation versus associative learning hypotheses for the origin of the mirror neuron system.
  • To present arguments favoring the associative learning hypothesis.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical argumentation based on existing neuroscientific and evolutionary data.
  • Analysis of comparative data between monkeys and humans.
  • Consideration of recent findings on adult neuroplasticity.

Main Results:

  • The associative learning hypothesis offers a more parsimonious explanation for observed differences between monkey and human mirror neuron systems.
  • Evidence suggests mirror neurons support diverse social functions rather than exclusively action understanding.
  • The mirror neuron system demonstrates plasticity, being modifiable by sensorimotor learning even in adulthood.

Conclusions:

  • The associative learning hypothesis provides a robust framework for understanding the mirror neuron system's development and function.
  • Mirror neurons are likely shaped by sensorimotor experiences, particularly those gained through social interaction.
  • The mirror neuron system is both a product and a process of social interaction.