Mirror Neurons and Mind Reading

1. Mirror Neurons and Mind Reading KeysersC, Gazzola V. 2014 Hebbianlearning and predictive mirror neurons for actions, sensations and emotions. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Presented by Amrita Singh and Sandeep Aitha

2. Basic Hypothesis: Development of Mirror Neurons through Hebbian Learning

3. Hebbian Learning: Neurons that fire together, wire together Contingency and Contiguity are important

4. Generates Motor Actions PM Pre-Motor Cortex STS Superior Temporal Sulcus Responds when viewing and hearing actions

5. Re-afference: Seeing your own actions

6. 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.

7. Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity B repeatedly fires without A firing A A repeatedly fires 40 ms before B A repeatedly fires just after B B

8. PM Generates Action STS Responds to Sight of Action 200 ms 40 ms

9. Mirror Neurons for Sensations Somatosensory cortex activated when we see others being touched Similar mechanism for development is proposed No prediction

10. Mirror Neurons for Emotions • Imitation of facial expressions by parents • Might be genetically encoded

11. Thank You!

12. 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.

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