Mirror neurons important in understanding intentions according to UCLA studyFeb 22, 2005; Posted 02:38 am EST (07:38 GMT) According to a study by UCLA neuroscientists, a specialized type of brain cell called a mirror neuron helps people understand the intentions of others -- an important aspect of social interaction.Mirror neurons are neurons which respond in the same way when an individual is performing an action as when they are observing another person perform that action. The study used a brain imaging technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify which areas of the brain are most active for a given task. The study, to be published in the February 22 online edition of PLoS Biology, found that mirror neurons located in the pre-motor region ascribe intentions to actions that appear in a context. Until now, it was thought these neurons were involved only in recognizing actions. The findings contribute to a growing set of evidence that treatments for patients with autism and similar disorders may improve the function of these neurons -- and therefore the ability of these patients to understand and empathize with others. "Understanding the intentions of others while watching their action is a fundamental building block of social behavior," said principal investigator Dr. Marco Iacoboni. "Our findings show for the first time that intentions behind actions of others can be recognized by the motor system using a mirror mechanism in the brain. The same area of the brain responsible for understanding behavior can predict behavior as well." Participants in the study were subject to fMRI while alternately viewing three short videos: 1) a hand holding a cup with no context, 2) a stocked tea service both before and after use -- context only, and 3) a hand holding a cup in each context -- signaling the intention to drink or to clean.
For the condition (3) where the action was embedded in a context, the researchers found increased blood flow in a part of the brain known as the inferior frontal gyrus and in the ventral premotor cortex. Increased blood flow is believed to indicate increased neural activity.
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