title: Mirror neurons encode the subjective value of an observed action.
abstract: Objects grasped by an agent have a value not only for the acting agent, but also for an individual observing the grasping act. The value that the observer attributes to the object that is grasped can be pivotal for selecting a possible behavioral response. Mirror neurons in area F5 of the monkey premotor cortex have been suggested to play a crucial role in the understanding of action goals. However, it has not been addressed if these neurons are also involved in representing the value of the grasped object. Here we report that observation-related neuronal responses of F5 mirror neurons are indeed modulated by the value that the monkey associates with the grasped object. These findings suggest that during action observation F5 mirror neurons have access to key information needed to shape the behavioral responses of the observer.
authors: Department of Cognitive Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research,  University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen,  Germany.
authors: Vittorio
authors: V
authors: Caggiano
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Fogassi
authors: Giacomo
authors: G
authors: Rizzolatti
authors: Antonino
authors: A
authors: Casile
authors: Martin A
authors: MA
authors: Giese
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Thier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D059167:Mirror Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012201:Reward; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*