Giacomo Rizolatti - Mirror Neurons

Understanding actions of others

Mirror neurons fire when an animal or human acts or observes someone performing the same task. Dr. Giacomo Rizzolatti discusses the function of mirror neurons in the parietal-frontal mirror circuit. Imitation seems to be the more reasonable function but he notes that research has shown that monkeys are poor imitators, which leads scientists to believe that action understanding is the function of mirror neurons in the parietal-frontal circuit.

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The discovery of mirror neurons
The discovery of mirror neurons
The discovery of mirror neurons
The discovery of mirror neurons
Initial reaction
Initial reaction
Mirror neurons - from monkeys to humans
Mirror neurons - from monkeys to humans
Homology
Homology
Counting neurons
Counting neurons
Anatomy of mirror system pathways
Anatomy of mirror system pathways
Understanding actions of others
Understanding actions of others
Understanding actions of others
Understanding actions of others
Two ways of understanding
Two ways of understanding
Observation and skill learning
Observation and skill learning
An emotional mirror mechanism
An emotional mirror mechanism
An emotional mirror mechanism
An emotional mirror mechanism
Modulation of emotional responses
Modulation of emotional responses
Critics of mirror neuron research
Critics of mirror neuron research
Critics of mirror neuron mechanisms
Critics of mirror neuron mechanisms
Mirror neurons and their role in the evolution of language
Mirror neurons and their role in the evolution of language
The evolution of language from gestures
The evolution of language from gestures
The mirror mechanism and autism
The mirror mechanism and autism
Autism and the mirror system
Autism and the mirror system
The processing of intentions in autistic children
The processing of intentions in autistic children
Neurorehabilitation
Neurorehabilitation
Application of mirror mechanisms in neurorehabilitation
Application of mirror mechanisms in neurorehabilitation