cognitive neuroscience empathy and mirror Neurons

Question 1

1) What are mirror neurons

Answer 1

Mirror neurons are specialized brain cells that activate when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing the same action.

Question 2

The discovery of mirror neurons initially came from studies in….

Answer 2

macaque monkeys, where certain neurons fired both when the monkey grasped an object and when it observed another monkey grasping the same object.

Question 3

Evidence for mirror neurons in humans has also been found, particularly in ….

Answer 3

brain regions linked to motor functions, emotion processing, and social cognition.

Question 4

What is the difference between cold action and non-cold actions ?

Answer 4

Cold Actions: These are actions that are executed with no emotional or social motivation, often functional in nature. For example, lifting an object or turning a knob for a mechanical purpose.

Non-cold Actions: These involve actions that have emotional or social significance, such as hugging, comforting, or showing empathy.

Question 5

Where are the respective mirror neurons encoding these located?

cold=
non cold=

Answer 5

cold= premotor cortex and parietal cortex, which are involved in motor planning and action execution.

non-cold= located in areas related to emotion processing, such as the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, which are associated with emotional experience, empathy, and social cognition.

Question 6

3) What are two main theories regarding the mechanisms of action understanding?

Answer 6

Motor Simulation Theory:
Perception-Action Coupling Theory:

Question 7

Motor Simulation Theory is…..

Answer 7

This theory proposes that when we observe someone performing an action, our brain simulates that action as if we were performing it ourselves. Mirror neurons are thought to be part of this simulation process, allowing us to understand actions by internally reproducing the sensory and motor experiences associated with them.

Question 8

Perception-Action Coupling Theory is…

Answer 8

This theory suggests that the brain directly links the perception of an action with an action representation in the motor system. By mapping observed actions onto our own motor representations, the brain facilitates the recognition and interpretation of the action’s meaning.

Question 9

4) Why are most mirror neurons found in macaque cortex not well suited for imitation?

Answer 9

located in areas involved in basic motor control and execution, such as the ventral premotor cortex, primarily concerned with simple goal-directed actions rather than higher-level cognitive or social processes necessary for complex imitation. Imitation requires understanding the intentions behind an action, simple motor-focused mirror neurons in macaques are not well-equipped to do.

Question 10

5) Where does the evidence for mirror neurons in the human cortex come from?

Answer 10

Neuroimaging
Electrophysiological Studies:
Lesion Studies:

Question 11

neuroimaging =

Answer 11

fMRI and PET scans show activation in areas like the premotor cortex, parietal lobe, and inferior frontal gyrus when individuals observe action

Question 12

Electrophysiological Studies

Answer 12

Recordings of single neurons in the human brain during action observation provide direct evidence of mirror neuron activity. These studies suggest that similar neural mechanisms are at play in humans as in macaques.

Question 13

Lesion Studies

Answer 13

Patients with damage to areas like the inferior frontal cortex or parietal lobule often show deficits in action recognition or imitation, which further supports the role of mirror neurons in these processes.

Question 14

Is the understanding of ‘intention’ a crucial aspect of action understanding?

Answer 14

Yes, understanding the intention behind an action is crucial for fully understanding its meaning. Mirror neurons are involved in this process by not just encoding the observed movement, but also the goal or intention behind the movement

Question 15

What is the evidence that mirror neurons are involved in the understanding of ‘intention’?

Answer 15

Evidence for this comes from studies where brain areas, such as the premotor cortex and superior temporal sulcus, are more strongly activated when observers recognize the intention behind an action (e.g., reaching to grasp an object vs. reaching in a random manner). This suggests that mirror neurons not only simulate the actions themselves but also contribute to understanding the social or cognitive purpose of those actions.

Question 16

Emotion understanding can be categorized into two main types:

Answer 16

Basic Emotion Recognition:
Empathy and Emotional Resonance:

Question 17

Basic Emotion Recognition=

Answer 17

This involves recognizing primary emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, typically based on facial expressions, body language, or vocal tones.

Question 17

Empathy and Emotional Resonance =

can be divided into:

Answer 17

Empathy involves both understanding and sharing in another person’s emotional state. It can be divided into:
○ Cognitive empathy: Understanding what another person feels (emotional perspective-taking).
○ Affective empathy: Feeling what another person feels (emotional resonance).

Question 18

Which emotion has been best studied in relation to ‘warm’ mapping of emotions?

Answer 18

Empathy, particularly in relation to emotional distress (e.g., observing someone in pain or sadness), has been the emotion most studied in the context of ‘warm’ mapping.

Question 18

what is warm mapping?

Answer 18

“Warm” mapping refers to the emotional resonance or affective sharing that occurs when we experience another person’s emotions as if they were our own.

Question 19

warm mapping is studied in relation to what brain areas?

Answer 19

This phenomenon has been extensively studied in relation to the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, which are involved in both emotional processing and the experience of empathy. When individuals observe others in distress or joy, these brain regions become active, reflecting a shared emotional experience that is essential for empathy.