INTRODUCTION TO MIRROR NEURONS MARY ET BOYLE, PH.D. DEPARTMENT OF COGNITIVE SCIENCE UCSD

Transcription

1 INTRODUCTION TO MIRROR NEURONS MARY ET BOYLE, PH.D. DEPARTMENT OF COGNITIVE SCIENCE UCSD

2 Announcements Midterm 1 Review Friday during Lecture Midterm 1 Exam February 5 Monday! During lecture come prepared with pen and/or pencil ready + STUDENT ID in hand!

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4 Just make yourself at home!

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6 Social functioning Interpret behaviors of others Rapid understanding Physical and semantic

7 Embodied Cognition The brain is not the only cognitive resource we have to solve problems A. Cognition is influenced and biased by: 1. States of the body 2. The environment B. Abstract cognitive states are: 1. Grounded in states of the body

8 Cognitive embodiment states that cognition is rooted in perception and action.

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11 So many different structures in the brain are involved in motor functions that some people even say that practically the entire brain contributes to body movements. Though the motor cortex is usually associated with Areas 4 and 6, the control of voluntary movements actually involves almost all areas of the neocortex.

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13 Classic understanding of cognition cognition requires an internal representation or mental structure Moreover, word meaning was assumed to be processed in specif ic in the left temporal lobe

14 Where in the brain does word meaning reside? Broca's and Wernicke's regions play a major role in language processing

15 Hauk, O, et al (2004) Neuron (41)

16 lick pick kick Hauk, O, et al (2004) Neuron (41)

17 Hauk, O, et al (2004) Neuron (41)

18 Action Words Activate Classical Language Areas as well as Frontocentral Motor Regions Volume 41, Issue 2, 22 January 2004, Pages Hauk, O, et al (2004) Neuron (41)

19 Hauk, O, et al (2004) Neuron (41)

20 Pulvermuller, F (2005) Nature Review

21 Pulvermuller, F (2005) Nature Review

22 Physical interpretation: Gripping the stem of a wine glass. Semantic interpretation: Cheers! Ocampo, B and Kritikos, A. (2011) Brain Research Reviews 67

23 Everyday social interactions require constant and accurate interpretations of others' behavior. How do we understand other s actions? Do we comprehend them within the context of our own actions? Is our understanding of actions a function of the activity of the motor system? Ocampo, B and Kritikos, A. (2011) Brain Research Reviews 67

24 How do we read each other s mind? memories emotion

25 Mindsight Daniel Siegel Mindblindness Chris Frith Create a map of another person's internal state

26 Pre-motor activity of eating an apple. Monkey B The act of watching the monkey eat the apple caused some of the neurons (associated with eating) to fire. Monkey B observing A eating an apple. Pre-motor activity of eating an apple. Monkey A is eating an apple. Monkey A

27 The premotor neuron s f iring reflects the recognition of an action irrespective of the agent performing the action

28 Mirror Neurons are creating motor plans to imitate observed actions.

29 when we see a movement, we simulate it in our brain Ballet vs Capoeira Calvo-Merino, B et al (2005) Cerebral Cortex 15:

30 When we observe someone performing an action, do our brains simulate making that action? Test this question looking at acquired motor skills. People differ in learned motor skills. Calvo-Merino, B et al (2005) Cerebral Cortex 15:

31 Does it make a difference in the brain activity of the observer if they are an expert in the learned motor skill? Calvo-Merino, B et al (2005) Cerebral Cortex 15:

32 fmri scan Calvo-Merino, B et al (2005) Cerebral Cortex 15:

33 The MN system appears to be tuned to the motor skillset of an individual. Non-expert s brains showed no differences in MN activity between viewing ballet or Capoeira. Mirror Neurons (MNs) were more active when experts viewed movements that they were trained to perform as compared to movements they had not. Calvo-Merino, B et al (2005) Cerebral Cortex 15:

34 Ricciardi, E., et al. (2009)

35 Mirror Neurons (MNs) can be activated by sounds of actions! aurallypresented stimuli visual imagery Mirror neuron system Ricciardi, E., et al. (2009)

36 Ricciardi, E., et al. (2009)

37 Is the purpose of mirror neurons to recognize actions (and therefore understand the intentions of others) or to learn novel actions through imitation?

38 1940 s Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger described developmental disorder Autism: derived from Greek autos meaning self. Withdrawal from social interaction lacks empathy. What causes it? Could it be a broken MNS? AUTISM: is it a mirror neuron problem?

39 anatomical psychological Brain connectivity and size Theory of other Minds Cerebellar abnormalities Ramachandran, V. S. and Oberman, (2006) L. M. Scientific American Role for mirror neurons in understanding the intention of other s behavior.

40 Sally Anne false belief Theory of Mind Test Frith (2001)

41 WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN MARRIED A LONG TIME, YOU GET TO KNOW WHAT THE OTHER PERSON THINKS. NO YOU DON T

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43 Ocampo, B and Kritikos, A. (2011) Brain Research Reviews 67

44 Calvo-Merino, B et al (2005) Cerebral Cortex 15:

45 Ramachandran, V. S. and Oberman, (2006) L. M. Scientific American