title: Mirror neurons through the lens of epigenetics.
abstract: The consensus view in mirror neuron research is that mirror neurons comprise a uniform, stable execution-observation matching system. In this opinion article, we argue that, in light of recent evidence, this is at best an incomplete and oversimplified view of mirror neurons, where activity is actually variable and more plastic than previously theorized. We propose an epigenetic account for understanding developmental changes in sensorimotor systems, including variations in mirror neuron activity. Although associative and genetic accounts fail to consider the complexity of genetic and nongenetic interactions, we propose a new evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) perspective, which predicts that environmental differences early in development should produce variations in mirror neuron response patterns, tuning them to the social environment.
authors: Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy. pierfrancesco.ferrari@unipr.it
authors: Pier F
authors: PF
authors: Ferrari
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Tramacere
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Simpson
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Iriki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology
keywords: development; epigenetics; mirror neurons; neonatal imitation; plasticity; sensorimotor
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