The Mirrors in Our Brain

When we engage with others on a regular basis, we are constantly listening and observing. We take note of their facial expressions, emotions, mannerisms, and their actions, because these observations give us a lot of information about the other person.  But how exactly does our Brain register this information? And how does our brain facilitate our ability to engage, communicate, and emphasize with others.

Previous research has shown that there are multiple areas of our brain involved when we observe other people, imitate, and then learn from them.  In fact, the specific brain areas are called the superior temporal and inferior frontal cortical brain regions and they are involved in obtaining and processing information related to actions.  The insula, connects these brain regions to the limbic system, the area of our brain that processes our emotions and behavior via the insula.




Specifically, the inferior frontal cortex is activated when performing and observing an action, but the superior temporal cortex is activated only when observing an action (Carr, et al,. 2003). The insula is seen as the relay system between our actions and emotions.

According to (Carr, et al,. 2003), flow of information in the brain:

1. Action occurs and visual information is sent to superior temporal cortex.

2. Superior temporal cortex then sends information to the posterior parietal mirror neurons, which record the movement.

3. posterior parietal mirror neurons then send the information from the recorded kinesthetic movement to the inferior frontal mirror neurons which records the goal of the action.

4. The goal or plan of actions, are sent back from the inferior frontal mirror neurons to the posterior parietal mirror neurons, and then finally to the superior temporal cortex so that the imitative action can be initiated.






The limbic system is connected to all three brain regions: superior temporal, posterior parietal, and inferior frontal cortex via the insula, and relays information between motor and emotions when imitation occurs.

Citations:

Carr, L., Iacoboni, M., Dubeau, M., Mazziotta, J. C., & Lenzi, G. L. (2003). Neural mechanisms of empathy in humans: A relay from neural systems for imitation to limbic areas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100(9), 5497-5502. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC154373/

Foxon, D. (2014). What do Chameleons, Brands and Mirror Neurons have in common?. The Big Brother Theme: Blog at word press. Retrieved from https://neuroexpression.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/what-do-chameleons-brands-and-mirror-neurons-have-in-common-2/

Rajmohan, V., Mohandas, E. Mirror neuron system. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. Retrieved from https://www.scienceopen.com/document/vid/41b6df47-6241-4bc6-a989-5eb914576ab2