Two different mirror neuron pathways for social and non-social actions? A meta-analysis of fMRI studies.

ABSTRACT: Mirror neurons (MNs) represent a class of neurons that are activated when performing or observing the same action. Given their role in social cognition and previous research in patients with psychiatric disorders, we proposed that the human MN system (MNS) might display different pathways for social and non-social actions. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of 174 published human functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Our findings confirmed the proposed hypothesis. Our results demonstrated that the non-social MN pathway exhibited a more classical pattern of frontoparietal activation, whereas the social MN pathway was activated less in the parietal lobe but more in the frontal lobe, limbic lobe, and sublobar regions. Additionally, our findings rev

SUBMITTER: Zhao M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11482255 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature