The mirror neuron system and the consequences of its dysfunction

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Abstract
Mirror neurons are cells located in the premotor and posterior parietal cortex of the macaque brain. These cells fire when the monkey performs a goal-directed action and when it sees somebody else performing the same action. Two areas of the macaque brain contain mirror neurons, area F5 in the inferior frontal cortex and area PF/PFG in the inferior parietal cortex. These areas are anatomically interconnected and embedded in parallel frontoparietal networks for sensorimotor integration. Mirror neurons in monkeys also respond to the sound of actions, and code the intention associated with the observed action. This suggests that the mirror neuron system (MNS) is a key neural system for social cognition. In humans, mirror neuron areas are located in the posterior inferior frontal gyrus and adjacent ventral premotor cortex, and in the rostral part of the inferior parietal lobule. The human MNS is causally related to imitation, a crucial factor for social interactions and learning. The human MNS is also concerned with other aspects of social cognition, from understanding the intentions of other people to empathizing with them. Through interactions with the limbic system, the human MNS allows the understanding of emotional states of other people. Evidence of MNS abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is provided by structural MRI, magnetoencephalography, electroencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional MRI (fMRI). fMRI data show that children with ASD have reduced MNS activity during social mirroring and that MNS activity correlates with the severity of disease: the higher the impairment, the lower the MNS activity in ASD.