What are mirror neurons?

Mirror-neural reaction as a phenomenon was discovered in the early nineties. At that time, experiments were conducted with animals. Investigating the monkeys, some groups of scientists noted neuronal activation at various points. For example, when capturing an object or another, activity was registered in the motor cortex. Thus, it is logical to assume that at the moment when the monkey reaches for an apple or orange, neurons that are associated with one or another action are activated.

In the course of the experiment it was revealed that if you show an object, but do not give the monkey the opportunity to take it, another group of neurons will be activated from those that are involved in the moment associated with this action. It should be noted that such active nerve cells were found in the motor cortex. Thus, the conclusion that the cortex is in some way a device for performing simple actions did not fit the information that was obtained during the experiments.

As a result of the research it was revealed that at the moment when the experimenter came and, in front of the monkey, took an apple, the animal began to activate the same nerve cells as when it performed the action itself.

It is also noted that when a person observes the action of another living organism, groups of nerve cells are activated, related to the human need to perform the same action or with the same type of behavior. These groups of nerve cells are called mirror neurons.

This concept was not chosen by chance. The neuron is a nerve cell. Scientists suggest that, to some extent, they are all related to the actions that a person does, with everything that he can do. Later, experts found that mirror neurons are found in a fairly large number. These nerve cells in some way reflect other people's actions. In this case, the actions can be completely different, and this is not necessarily the capture of any objects.

Mirror neurons, when activated, contribute to muscle contraction, similar to that which could occur in the case of an independent performance of a particular action. This phenomenon, for example, scientists have identified in the process of research the reactions of people who watched playing a musical instrument or dancing. In particular, this phenomenon was manifested in the case if the subjects were not able to play or were unfamiliar with dances. Along with this, not always mirror neurons are activated and contribute to the further manifestation of the reaction. Specialists concluded that nerve cells are excited under certain conditions, at a certain time. During the experiments, some phenomena were revealed and described that allow us to state that mirror neurons show their activity within the system, but not separately.

To conduct research on recording brain activity can be using tomography (positron emission or magnetic resonance). It should be noted that the researchers found that in the presence of individual forms of autism, the above phenomenon of repetition of a particular action is absent.

According to some scientists, the ability of a person to empathize with other people, understand, represent intentions, construct certain assumptions about what can happen to other living beings is provided by mirror neurons.

It should be noted that the question of whether all nerve cells have the ability to reflect is in the research stage. However, with great confidence, scientists say that it is the mirror neurons that provide the ability to imitate other people's actions.