Mirror Neurons and Mind Reading

Presented by Amrita Singh and Sandeep Aitha

Keysers C, Gazzola V. 2014 Hebbian learning and predictive mirror neurons for actions, sensations and emotions. Phil. Trans. R. Soc.

Basic Hypothesis: Development of Mirror Neurons

through Hebbian Learning

Hebbian Learning:Neurons that fire together, wire

together

Contingency and Contiguity are important

STSSuperior Temporal

Sulcus

PMPre-Motor

Cortex

Generates Motor Actions

Responds when viewing and

hearing actions

Re-afference: Seeing your own actions

Thus, strong excitatory connections are

developed from STS neurons which respond

when an action is observed, to PM neurons which elicit the

action. PM neurons become mirror neurons.

Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity

A repeatedly fires 40 ms before B A repeatedly

fires just after B

B repeatedly fires without A firing

A

B

PMGenerates

Action

STSResponds to

Sight of Action

Action 1 Action 2 Action 3

200 ms40 ms

Mirror Neurons for SensationsSomatosensory cortex activated when we see others being touchedSimilar mechanism for development is proposed

No prediction

Mirror Neurons for Emotions• Imitation of

facial expressions by parents

• Might be genetically encoded

Thank You!

References

• Gallese V, Fadiga L, Fogassi L, Rizzolatti G. 1996 Action recognition in the premotor cortex. Brain 119, 593–609

• Caporale N, Dan Y. 2008 Spike timing-dependent plasticity: a Hebbian learning rule. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 31, 25–46.

• Umilta MA, Kohler E, Gallese V, Fogassi L, Fadiga L, Keysers C, Rizzolatti G. 2001 I know what you are doing: a neurophysiological study. Neuron 31, 155–165.

Keysers C, Gazzola V. 2014 Hebbian learning and predictive mirror neurons for actions, sensations and emotions. Phil. Trans. R. Soc.