Imitation in monkeys and humans involves special neurons known as mirror neurons. Mirror neurons in ...

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Identification of mirror neurons in humans has been complicated by ethical concerns about the methods used. In monkeys, mirror neurons were observed through surgically implanted electrodes. This type of invasive procedure would be difficult to do in humans. However, recent recordings taken while patients were undergoing surgical treatment for seizures provided researchers with an opportunity to investigate the existence of mirror neurons in humans. This investigation led to the conclusion that mirror neurons do, in fact, exist in humans as well as in monkeys.

What purposes might be served by mirror neurons? One suggestion is that mirror neurons would help us predict the actions of others, allowing us to understand intentions. The ability to predict future circumstances would contribute significantly to the survival of an organism. Mirror neurons might also form the basis of empathy. Individuals who appear to be high in empathy show stronger activation than other people in identified mirror systems in the human brain.

Children use gestures, like pointing at a cookie jar to indicate I want a cookie, long before they learn to use words to convey the same meaning. It is likely that preverbal hominids also used gestures to communicate. Mirror neurons might have played a role in the development of language, both for our species and for individual learners. Consistent with this argument, mirror neurons in monkeys are located in a part of the brain that is quite similar to the human Brocas area of the frontal lobe. Activation in Brocas area is correlated with the production of speech.

Because individuals with autism do not show typical imitative behaviors in childhood, a natural extension would be to look for possible correlates in the mirror neuron systems in autism. Some researchers have presented evidence that mirror neuron function is disrupted in individuals with autism, especially when they are engaged in emotional or social tasks. Others argue that a broken mirror explanation for the social deficits observed in individuals with autism is overly simplistic and that further research is necessary before making strong conclusions about mirror neuron function in this population.