Motivating Questions Social Cognition and the Mirror  How do our brains perceive the Neuron System of the Brain mental states of others despite their inaccessibility?

 How do we understand the actions, emotions and the intentions of others?  Rationally?  Intuitively? Jaime A. Pineda, Ph.D.

Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory  How do we understand first- COGS1 class and third-person experiences?

Classic Explanation A Different Perspective

 Theory-Theory (argument from analogy; disembodied  Simulation Theory knowledge; visual hypothesis) (Direct-matching hypothesis; embodied knowledge)  Map visual information onto  Involves striate, extrastriate, motor representations of the inferotemporal lobe and same action superior temporal sulcus, among others  Mirroring systems  bridges between perception and action that allow for simulation  Mirror neurons  EEG Mu rhythms

A Different Perspective The Mirror Neuron System

 Simulation Theory (Direct-matching hypothesis; embodied knowledge)

 Map visual information onto motor representations of the same action

 Mirroring systems  bridges between perception and action that allow for simulation  Mirror neurons  EEG Mu rhythms

Iacoboni and Dapretto, Nature Reviews, 2006,7:942-951

1 Biological Motion Biological Motion Perception: Monkeys

 Visual system's ability to  Gender

recover object information  Activity engaged in  Perret and colleagues from sparse input  Emotional state (1989; 1990; 1994)

Cells in superior temporal polysensory area (STPa) of the macaque temporal cortex appear sensitive to biological motion

Oram & Perrett, J. Cog. Neurosci., 1994, 6(2), 99-116

Biological Motion Perception: Humans Brain Circuit for Social Perception (SP)

 An area in the superior • SP is processing of temporal sulcus (STS) in information that results in humans responds to the accurate analysis of biological motion the intentions of others

• STS involved in the

 Other areas do as well, processing of a variety of including frontal cortex, social signals SMA, insula, thalamus, amygdala

Grossman et al. J. Cog. Neurosci., 2000, 12(5), 711-720 Allison et al., Trends in Cog. Sci., 2000, 4, 267-272

Mirror Neurons Mirror Neuron Activity

 A specific class of neurons that discharge both when the monkey performs an action and when it observes a similar action done by another monkey or an experimenter

 Found in:

 area F5 (homolog of Broca’s area); 10-20%

 inferior parietal cortex (PF/7b)

 Activated by:

 Goal directed actions (reaching, grasping, holding)

 Observation of similar actions performed by “biological” agents

Di Pellegrino et al., Exp. Brain Res., 1992, 91, 176-80 Rizzolatti et al., Cogn. Brain Res., 1996, 3:131-141

2 Perception-to-Action Mapping Selectivity Understanding Intentions

Congruent Logically-Related Grasping Mimicking (effector dependent) (effector independent; 2X)

Perception

Action

Umilta et al. Neuron, 2001, 32: 91-101

Functional Significance Characterizing the System

 Response facilitation generalizability? motivational significance?  Mimicry biological realism?  Simulation intentionality? social relevance?  Imitation learning anthropomorphism?  Understanding actions transitive/intransitive actions? learning?  Understanding intentions  Empathy  Theory of Mind  Language MNS activity No MNS Activity

The Mirror Neuron System Mu Rhythm

 8-13 Hz oscillation over sensorimotor cortex

Normal Oscillation Self Action Observed Action

Iacoboni and Dapretto, Nature Reviews, 2006,7:942-951

3 Frequency Analysis of Mu Rhythm Does Mu Suppression Reflect Mirror Activity?

(8-13 Hz) P Baseline o (10-14 Hz) w e Move r Observe

Frequency Imagine

Pineda et al., IEEE Trans. Rehab. Engr., 2000, 8(2): 219-222

Action Observation and Social Interaction Experimental Paradigm

 Measured mu power (2 min of EEG) in normals (n=20) ages 18-34 (mean=21.1, SD=3.40 ) under different

 To what degree do mu rhythms, like mirror neurons, observation conditions: reflect social interaction?  Non-interacting

 Social Action - Spectator

 Social Action - Interactive

 Visual white noise

 Engaged in continuous performance task during observation

Oberman et al., Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2007, 2, 62-66

Non-interacting Social Action - Spectator Results

4 n o

i 3.5 t c a

r 3 e t n

I 2.5

l a i 2 c o S

1.5 f o

Social Action - Interactive

e 1 e r

g 0.5 e

D 0 Non-Interacting Social Action, Social Action, Spectator Interactive

4 Results Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

 Problems in the following domains: 0.1  Social ability C3 CZ C4 0  intelligence

 Language acquisition -0.1

-0.2

-0.3 Social Action, Interactive Social Action, Spectator Non-Interacting -0.4

Common Characteristics Autism: A Dysfunctional Mirror System?

 Impairment in social play and imagination  No common underlying

 Impaired ability to initiate conversations with others mechanism has been

 Repetitive behaviors identified

 Impaired sustained attention  Deficits in imitation learning –

 Trouble Imitating others Rogers and Pennington, 1991  Deficits in mirror neuron system  Difficulty interpreting actions and intentions of others - Williams et al., 2001  Absence of empathy

Hypothesis Experimental Paradigm

 Measured mu power (2 min of

 If mu rhythms reflect MNS activity and the capacity to EEG) in normals (n=12) and understand actions as well as learn through imitation, autistics (n=10) under different then autistics should show differences in mu rhythms conditions: compared to controls

 Self-movement of hand

 Watching video of someone moving their hand

 Watching a video of a ball moving up and down Oberman et al., Cog. Brain Res. 2005, 24: 190-198

Oberman et al., Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2005, 24(2):190-8.

5 Results Results

Oberman et al., Neuropsychologia, 2008 Jan 19 [Epub ahead of print]

Creating a Temporary “Autistic” Brain Method

 Do sensorimotor mu rhythms reflect downstream  Measured EEG mu power in typically developing modulation from cells in premotor cortex? adults (n=8) under different conditions before and after IFG stimulation

 Observation of movement (4 videos)

RATIONALE  Simple (hand movements) and complex (social If mirror neurons in IFG are involved in the direct interactions)

modulation of mu rhythms, then temporary inhibition  Baron-Cohen’s Eyes Task

of these neurons should prevent suppression of mu  Emotion and gender discrimination rhythms and cause “autistic-like” behaviors.

 1 Hz rTMS (5 min at ~ 40-50% MEP threshold) targeted at left IFG

Pineda et al., in prep

6