Crossmodal and action-specific: neuroimaging the human mirror neuron system.
Nikolaas N Oosterhof1, Steven P Tipper, Paul E Downing
1Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello (CIMeC), Trento University, Trento, Italy. nikolaas.oosterhof@unitn.it
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|June 11, 2013
Summary
The human mirror neuron system (HMNS) may not be organized as previously thought. New neuroimaging methods suggest action perception relies more on parietal and occipitotemporal regions than the premotor cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Neuroscience
Background:
- The frontoparietal human mirror neuron system (HMNS) is a proposed neural basis for understanding actions and social behaviors.
- Existing neuroimaging studies often fail to confirm critical 'mirror' properties, such as action specificity and cross-modal generalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neuroanatomical organization of the human mirror neuron system (HMNS).
- To examine the action specificity and cross-modal generalization properties of neural representations within the HMNS.
Main Methods:
- Utilized neuroimaging techniques, specifically repetition suppression (RS) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA).
- Analyzed neural representations in response to action perception tasks.
Main Results:
- Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) implicated anterior parietal regions in action perception.
- Evidence suggests a role for the lateral occipitotemporal cortex in the HMNS.
- Found limited support for the premotor cortex's involvement in the HMNS.
Conclusions:
- Current neuroimaging findings challenge traditional views on the HMNS neuroanatomical organization.
- Advanced neuroimaging methods like MVPA offer greater potential for detailed investigation of HMNS properties.
