What can we make of theories of embodiment and the role of the human mirror neuron system?

In recent years, work surrounding theories of embodiment and the role of the putative mirror neuron system (MNS) in humans has gained considerable attention. If humans have developed a net-work of neurons that fire in response to other beings' actions, as has been shown in macaques, this system...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Juliana Baldo (auth)
Other Authors: Fernando Gonzalez-Perilli (auth), Agustin Ibanez (auth), Analia Arevalo (auth)
Format: Electronic Book Chapter
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media SA 2016
Series:Frontiers Research Topics
Subjects:
Online Access:DOAB: download the publication
DOAB: description of the publication
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

MARC

LEADER 00000naaaa2200000uu 4500
001 doab_20_500_12854_62616
005 20210212
003 oapen
006 m o d
007 cr|mn|---annan
008 20210212s2016 xx |||||o ||| 0|eng d
020 |a 978-2-88919-761-3 
020 |a 9782889197613 
040 |a oapen  |c oapen 
024 7 |a 10.3389/978-2-88919-761-3  |c doi 
041 0 |a eng 
042 |a dc 
072 7 |a PSAN  |2 bicssc 
100 1 |a Juliana Baldo  |4 auth 
700 1 |a Fernando Gonzalez-Perilli  |4 auth 
700 1 |a Agustin Ibanez  |4 auth 
700 1 |a Analia Arevalo  |4 auth 
245 1 0 |a What can we make of theories of embodiment and the role of the human mirror neuron system? 
260 |b Frontiers Media SA  |c 2016 
300 |a 1 electronic resource (116 p.) 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a computer  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a online resource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
490 1 |a Frontiers Research Topics 
506 0 |a Open Access  |2 star  |f Unrestricted online access 
520 |a In recent years, work surrounding theories of embodiment and the role of the putative mirror neuron system (MNS) in humans has gained considerable attention. If humans have developed a net-work of neurons that fire in response to other beings' actions, as has been shown in macaques, this system could have vast implications for all kinds of cognitive processes unique to humans, such as language, learning, empathy and communication in general. The goal of tapping into and understanding such a system is a fascinating yet challenging one. One form of embodiment - embodied linguistics - suggests that the way we process linguistic information is linked to our physical experience of the concept conveyed by each word. The interaction between these cognitive systems (i.e., language and motor processing) may occur thanks to the firing of neurons making up the MNS. The possible interdependence between different cognitive systems has implications for healthy as well as pathological profiles, and in fact, work in recent years has also explored the role of 'embodiment' and/or the MNS in clinical populations such as stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, and Autism, among others. Research on embodiment and/or the MNS has been approached with a number of different methodologies, but the results obtained with these different methodologies have not been entirely consistent, generating doubts regarding the theories. The question has been raised as to what this line of inquiry can gain from the types of evidence contributed by functional neuroimaging methods carried out with healthy volunteers versus behavioral or lesion-symptom mapping methods employed with neurologically-compromised individuals. Of particular interest are the clinical applications of this line of research. If indeed a system exists which reflects a tight link between, for example, the human language and motor systems, then the obvious challenge is to tap into this system to create useful therapies that can provide rehabilitation where damage has occurred. This Research Topic brought together work conducted with healthy and patient populations using several behavioral and imaging techniques, as well as insightful commentaries and opinion pieces. We believe the combined work of the participating authors is an important contribution to this intriguing line of research and an excellent point of reference for future work. 
540 |a Creative Commons  |f https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  |2 cc  |4 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
546 |a English 
650 7 |a Neurosciences  |2 bicssc 
653 |a action perception 
653 |a Mirror activity 
653 |a Embodied Simulation 
653 |a Action Understanding 
653 |a Imitation 
653 |a Embodied Cognition 
653 |a Empathy 
653 |a embodiment 
653 |a motor-language processing 
653 |a Mirror Neurons 
856 4 0 |a www.oapen.org  |u http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/1836/what-can-we-make-of-theories-of-embodiment-and-the-role-of-the-human-mirror-neuron-system  |7 0  |z DOAB: download the publication 
856 4 0 |a www.oapen.org  |u https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/62616  |7 0  |z DOAB: description of the publication