The Mirror Neuron System in the Monkey and its Role in Action Understanding

猴子的镜像神经元系统及其在动作理解中的作用

• 批准号: 7574246
• 负责人: WIM Jan VANDUFFEL
• 金额: $ 22.29万
• 依托单位: MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-15 至 2010-08-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7574246
• 关键词: Affect; Animal Model; Area; Attention; Autistic Disorder; Behavior Therapy; Behavioral; Brain; Brain imaging; Brain region; Brain scan; Class; Code; Cognitive; Cognitive Therapy; Detection; Development; Diffuse; Electrophysiology (science); Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Functional disorder; Gestures; Goals; Hand; Homologous Gene; Human; Image; Injection of therapeutic agent; Language; Language Development; Lead; Learning; Lesion; Localized; Macaca; Maps; Measures; Memory; Mind; Monkeys; Motion; Motor Neurons; Movement; Muscimol; Neurons; Numbers; Parietal; Performance; Play; Population; Research; Resolution; Role; Scanning; Shapes; Signal Transduction; Stimulus; Structure of superior temporal sulcus; Suggestion; System; Techniques; Testing; Touch sensation; Training; abstracting; awake; base; cognitive neuroscience; extrastriate; extrastriate visual cortex; grasp; relating to nervous system; research study; response; theories; tool; visual motor

Abstract The discovery of a special class of visual-motor neurons in the premotor cortex of the macaque1,2 discharging both during action execution and action observation, has had an enormous impact in cognitive neuroscience and led to a boom in brain imaging research, as well as highly speculative claims about its cognitive implications in humans. While originally it was proposed that these neurons are involved in action understanding in the macaque6,12, several suggestions have been made that the human mirror system is involved not only in action understanding11, but also in imitation learning3, understanding of intentions5, theory of mind and empathy7. Currently, there appears to be a discrepancy between a well defined monkey mirror system consisting of two areas (premotor area F5 and parietal area PFG) and a diffuse, extended human mirror system network, consisting of extrastriate, parietal and frontal brain regions. Here we propose to investigate the mirror neuron system in the awake macaque using high-field (3T and 7T) fMRI, as a perfect tool to bridge the gap between monkey electrophysiology and human imaging data8. While many cortical areas in the brain respond to a mere action observation, as we showed previously8, a brain region can only be considered to be part of the `mirror' system, if it also responds during actual action execution. Therefore, using fMRI, we will localize the whole macaque mirror system while the monkeys are either executing grasping movements or passively observing grasping movements. Furthermore, to assess the role of the mirror system in actual action understanding, we will train monkeys on an action categorization task and scan brain activity, while the monkey actively decides whether or not a particular action belongs to a certain class of actions. Additional experiments will include pharmacological reversible lesions of possible candidate `action understanding' mirror regions to investigate its behavioral and functional consequences throughout the brain. As it has been suggested that the human mirror system may be crucial during language development10 and that its dysfunction might lay at the basis of autism4,9 a full understanding of the complete extent of the mirror system in the monkey may lead to a better understanding of language development and the causes of autism. The proposed research could also lead to a development of an animal model for autism in which pharmacological and behavioral therapies can be tested.

抽象的 发现在特殊的视觉运动神经元中 在行动执行和行动观察期间，猕猴1,2释放 对认知神经科学产生了巨大影响，并导致脑成像繁荣 研究以及高度投机性的主张，就其在人类中的认知影响。 虽然最初提出这些神经元参与动作理解 在Macaque6,12中，已经提出了人类镜像系统的一些建议 不仅参与了ACTION GELLECT1111111111111111111 对意图的理解5，思想和同理心理7。目前，似乎 是由两个区域组成的明确定义的猴子镜系统之间的差异 （前F5和顶部区域PFG）和扩散的，扩展的人类镜像系统 网络，由外室，顶和额叶大脑区域组成。 在这里，我们建议在清醒猕猴中调查镜像神经元系统 使用高场（3t和7t）fMRI，作为弥合猴子之间差距的理想工具 电生理学和人类成像数据8。而大脑中的许多皮质区域 正如我们先前所显示的，对单纯的动作观察做出了响应，只有大脑区域才能 如果在实际操作中也响应，则被认为是“镜像”系统的一部分 执行。因此，使用fMRI，我们将定位整个猕猴系统 猴子要么要执行抓握动作或被动观察 抓住动作。此外，要评估镜像系统在实际中的作用 动作理解，我们将培训猴子的行动分类任务并进行扫描 大脑活动，而猴子积极决定是否特定动作 belongs to a certain class of actions.其他实验将包括药理 可能的候选人“行动理解”镜像区域的可逆病变 研究其在整个大脑中的行为和功能后果。 正如有人认为，人类镜像系统在 语言开发10及其功能障碍可能基于自闭症4,9 了解猴子中镜像系统的完整范围可能会导致 更好地理解语言发展和自闭症的原因。提议 研究还可能导致自闭症动物模型的发展，其中 可以测试药理和行为疗法。