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Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
Mirror neurons precede non-mirror neurons during action execution.
Kevin A Mazurek1,2, Marc H Schieber1,3,4,2
1Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.
Mirror neurons, crucial for understanding actions, may also lead action execution. This study found mirror neuron activity precedes non-mirror neuron activity during movement, suggesting a leading role in motor control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Mirror neurons are hypothesized to mediate action understanding by firing during both action performance and observation.
- Research has primarily investigated mirror neuron activity during action observation, with less focus on their role during action execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the precise role and timing of mirror neuron activity during the execution of naturalistic movements.
- To determine if mirror neurons precede or follow non-mirror neurons during action execution.
Main Methods:
- Recorded neural activity, including mirror and non-mirror neurons, during reach-grasp-manipulate movements.
- Analyzed the onset of task-related modulation and state transitions using hidden Markov models.
Main Results:
- Mirror neuron activity generally preceded non-mirror neuron activity during action execution.
- Task-related modulation and population state transitions occurred earlier in mirror neurons compared to non-mirror neurons.
Conclusions:
- Mirror neurons may play a leading role in initiating and guiding action execution.
- These findings challenge the traditional view by highlighting the proactive role of mirror neurons in motor control.
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