Mirror neuron research: the past and the future

Ferrari, Pier Francesco; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

doi:10.1098/rstb.2013.0169

Cited by 72 publications

(68 citation statements)

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“…We believe that understanding of such phenomena as cognitive maps of spatial environment [8], mirror neurons [9], or concept cells [27], [28], can benefit from a purposeful search of WWW-like layers and decoding their languages (cf. [29], [1]).…”

Section: Neural Systems: Experiments Measurements and Self-perceptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Networks: Brains, Internet, and Civilizations

Manin

2017

Humanizing Mathematics and Its Philosophy

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Abstract. In this short essay, we discuss some basic features of cognitive activity at several different space-time scales: from neural networks in the brain to civilisations. One motivation for such comparative study is its heuristic value. Attempts to better understand the functioning of "wetware" involved in cognitive activities of central nervous system by comparing it with a computing device have a long tradition. We suggest that comparison with Internet might be more adequate. We briefly touch upon such subjects as encoding, compression, and Saussurean trichotomy langue/langage/parole in various environments.

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Section: Neural Systems: Experiments Measurements and Self-perceptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Networks: Brains, Internet, and Civilizations

Manin

2017

Humanizing Mathematics and Its Philosophy

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“…Lastly there is (4) the dispute over whether mirroring procedurally causes goal and intention understanding, or whether we must already have a perceptual understanding of these that can then be 'fed into' the mirror mechanism. Some proponents of the former suggest that there is a simulation process, perhaps activating 'action chains' ( Rizzolatti & Sinigaglia, 2010), which gives rise to a motor or 'embodied' action understanding that cannot be understood by purely perceptual means ( Ferrari and Rizzolatti, 2014, Gallese, 2007and Gallese and Goldman, 1998. Proponents of the latter often suggest that the functional role of mirror neurons has to do with anticipating sensorimotor consequences of own and perceived actions for the purposes of action coordination and execution, and thus that their role in social cognition is accordingly limited.…”

Section: Motor Processes As 'Moonlighting' For Perception?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Are cortical motor systems inherently sensorimotor and teleological? Within the literature, mirror neurons are often referred to as "basically motor neurons" (Ferrari & Rizzolatti, 2014). But what does it mean to say that a neuron is 'motor' or that mirror processes are part of the cortical motor system?…”

Section: Affordances and Action Selections In Fronto-parietal Circuitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The second is that, by showing that mirror neurons were basically motor neurons, they suggested a rather unexpected solution to this problem: the motor system is involved in understanding the actions and intentions of others." (Ferrari & Rizzolatti, 2014) 3. Susan Hurley has famously dubbed this cognitivist information processing view "the classical sandwich" as cognitive processes are conceived as sandwiched between input and output modules (Hurley, 1998).…”

Section: Concluding Summarymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beyond sensorimotor segregation: On mirror neurons and social affordance space tracking

Brincker

2015

Cognitive Systems Research

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Mirror neuron research has come a long way since the early 1990s, and many theorists are now stressing the heterogeneity and complexity of the sensorimotor properties of fronto--parietal circuits. However, core aspects of the initial 'mirror mechanism' theory, i.e. the idea of a symmetric encapsulated mirroring function translating sensory action perceptions into motor formats, still appears to be shaping much of the debate. This article challenges the empirical plausibility of the sensorimotor segregation implicit in the original mirror metaphor. It is proposed instead that the teleological organization found in the broader fronto--parietal circuits might be inherently sensorimotor. Thus the idea of an independent 'purely perceptual' goal understanding process is questioned. Further, it is hypothesized that the often asymmetric, heterogeneous and contextually modulated mirror and canonical neurons support a function of multisensory mapping and tracking of the perceiving agents affordance space. Such a shift in the interpretative framework offers a different theoretical handle on how sensorimotor processes might ground various aspects of intentional action choice and social cognition. Mirror neurons would under the proposed "social affordance model" be seen as dynamic parts of larger circuits, which support tracking of currently shared and competing action possibilities. These circuits support action selection processes-but also our understanding of the options and action potentials that we and perhaps others have in the affordance space. In terms of social cognition 'mirror' circuits might thus help us understand not only the intentional actions others are actually performing-but also what they could have done, did not do and might do shortly. The caricature view of mirror neurons and the ensuing debateMirror neurons were initially discovered by Giacomo Rizzolatti and colleagues in Parma (di Pellegrino et al., 1992[1]. The core finding that inspired the name was that certain single cells in the macaque premotor cortex were modulated both by the execution of some goal--directed actions and by the perception of others performing similar actions. Such action--sensitive sensorimotor modulations were also found in parietal areas known to be highly anatomically and functionally interconnected with the premotor area F5. Additionally, indirect behavioral and imaging findings suggested homologue modulations in humans. The Parma group soon hypothesized that these fronto--parietal neurons together formed a mirror system by which

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“…In particular, the hypotheses based on the mirror neurons discovery have been refined, for example through the concepts of Mirroring mechanisms (MM) and Embodied simulation (ES) (Gallese, 2005(Gallese, , 2006(Gallese, , 2007(Gallese, , 2008(Gallese, , 2009aGallese et al, 2009;Gallese & Sinigaglia, 2011a;Ferri, Gallese & Costantini, 2011;Marino et al, 2011;Gallese & Sinigaglia, 2012;Ferrari & Rizzolatti, 2014;Gallese, 2014). About this ongoing dispute, a summary and a state-of-the-art outline can be found in Zipoli Caiani, 2013;apart Contributions to a NEUROPHYSIOLOGY of MEANING the most interesting documents is a forum inside which the most delicate and controversial questions are widely debated.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%