Brain-Computer Interface Study Sheds Light on 'Mirror Neurons'

Brain-computer interface study sheds light on 'mirror neurons'

Scientists have known for years that neural activity in the brain's motor cortex doesn't just happen when people perform actions. Neurons associated with actions—reaching with a hand to grasp an object, for example—also fire when a person watches someone else perform an action. This observational activity, which underlies a concept known as "mirror neurons," may play a role in how humans and other primates learn to perform physical tasks.

Motor Cortex Activity Scales With Human Realism

BrainGate study finds motor cortex observational activity scales with how human-like an action looks, revealing distributed networks over mirror neurons.