Mirror Neuron Flashcards
Williams et al 2001
Suggested that cognitive accounts for Autism only explains in part the condition. Difficulties imitating and copying actions such as echolia may be explained by MN located in the frontal cortex. during development M may facilitate imitation of actions, language, EF and ToM. Therefore earlier failure in MN may present as a symptom variety like ASD.
Southgate et al 2008
Broken mirror theory proposes varied social-cognitive difficulties characteristic of ASD can be explained by dysfunction in the MN network. However explaining imitation behaviours in ASD requires more than just MN network. Evidence for this system is weak, as there are no single cognitive area which can explain all the symptoms in ASD as they are not solely linked to inhibition. The MN network is likely to integrate with other neural networks in the brain.
