Mirror Neurons Essay
Mirror neurons are a group of neurons present in the F5 region of the premotor cortex of the brain in humans and monkeys. These neurons fire not only when an individual performs a motor action, but also when the individual observes someone else performing the same action. The discovery of mirror neurons was serendipitous. According to Acharya and Shukla (2012), researcher Giacomo
Rizzolatti and his colleagues at the University of Parma in the 1990s were studying the individual firing patterns of F5 neurons in the premotor cortex of a macaque monkey by implanting electrodes in its brain. These neurons fire when the monkey performs a motor action. Surprisingly during the experiment, when a researcher reached for his own food, the neurons in the F5 region of the
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The visual information perceived by us during observation of an action is linked to information in the motor cortex by mirror neurons which helps us in understanding action. Further, they are also associated with intention understanding, where intentions behind the actions of others can be recognized. By these mechanisms, mirror neurons allow humans and monkeys to imitate, enabling them to match the observed action to the one being performed. (Rizzolatti and Fabbri Destro, 2008;
Acharya and Shukla, 2012). Subsequently, they also help us to empathize with others. Our ability to experience pain or happiness associated with others is due to the activation of mirror neurons
(Rizzolatti and Fabbri Destro, 2008; Acharya and Shukla, 2012). Thus mirror neurons play important functional roles.
From an application point of view, mirror neurons do have various clinical implications. Disorders of mirror neurons can be related to motor defect and imitation defects as seen in autism. Recent reports have also indicated beneficial role of interventions strategies based on imitation. Use of mirror therapy in rehabilitation after stroke and regional pain syndrome has also been
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