Lecture 8 - Imitation and Mirror Neurons

Question 1

Perception-action mapping

Answer 1

• we can seamlessly map visual representations of action onto our motor systems to copy the action
• this is called CROSSMODAL TRANSFER

Question 2

developmental evidence for perception action mapping (PAM)

Answer 2

• infants can imitate caregivers facial expressions, hand and mouth movements, head turns etc

Question 3

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

Answer 3

Piaget thought this ability occurred no earlier then 1 year.

• babies aged 12 -21 days could imitate certain facial expressions
• imitate specific acts not just whole body parts even after a delay

Question 4

Oostenborek et al 2016 - evidence against Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

Answer 4

• longitudinal study 1 - 9week babies

- claimed TRUE imitation occurs at 6-9 months

Question 5

active intermodal matching

Answer 5

AIM

• involved perception and action having independent coding/representation
• a specialist model for imitation

Question 6

other theories of perception and action mapping

Answer 6

• COMMON CODING for perception and action

- imitation part of GENERALIST process for motor control and learning

Question 7

Ideomotor theory

Answer 7

associative sequence learning

• emphasises learning through our own experience

Question 8

dual route model of imitation

Answer 8

two routes:

1. SEMANTIC - meaningful actions stored in repertoire (someone waves - you wave back in a different way)
2. VISUOMOTOR/DIRECT - meaningless actions - mirror neurons

Question 9

general properties of MNs

Answer 9

• BIMODAL - visuo-motor neurons (respond to visual and motor stimuli)
• at the onset of the event there is a firing of the neuron

Question 10

how do MNs underpin action understanding

Answer 10

• MN active during observation of partially hidden action

- MNs also active when responding to a sound typically produced by the action

Question 11

what area associated with MN in primates

Answer 11

area F5 of premotor cortex in the inferior parietal lobe

Question 12

what area associated with MNs in humans

Answer 12

• BROCAS AREA (BA44)
• Ventral inferior frontal gyrus
• posterior patietal lobe
• superior temporal lobe

Question 13

what 3 types of neurons does F5 contain

Answer 13

• action observation related visuomotor neurons
• motor neurons
• canonical visuomotor neurons

Question 14

canonical visuomotor neurons are also called ?

Answer 14

object observation-related neurons

Question 15

behaviour evidence for MNs in humans

Answer 15

• faster responses when when there is compatibility between observed and executed movements
• also known as ‘AUTOMATIC IMITATION’

Question 16

brain imaging evidence for human MS

Answer 16

• somatotopic activation of pre-motor and parietal cortex
• got Ps to observe other people carrying out actions using various body parts
• activation in corresponding region of motor cortex to movement

Question 17

TMS evidence for MNs

Answer 17

• motor evoked potentials showed that observing an action produces increased motor excitability

Question 18

direct recording evidence for MNs (Mukamel et al 2010)

Answer 18

• recording for patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy
• Ps observed and executed grasping actions and facial gestures
• action observation - related mNs found in medial frontal lobe (SMA) and medial temporal lobe (hippocampus)
• evidence that there are cells in brain that respond same way as MNs.

Question 19

species-specific differences in brain regions

Answer 19

in humans:

- area 44 related to speech and motor representation of hand and mouth movements
- ventral inferior frontal gyrus (BA6) related to arm and head movements

in monkeys:

• lateral part of F5 - 80% of MNs related to ingestive behaviour
• 20% communicative

Question 20

species-specific differences in actions?

Answer 20

HUMANS:

- action doesnt need to be goal-directed or contain an object
 - meaningless movements are represented

MONKEYS:

- action must be goal-directed
 - cannot learn novel and complex acts - NO BA46 in monkeys

Question 20

who is the best

Answer 20

you