Mirror Neurons & Autism?

Post Reply New Topic

Hi, all. My partner, neuroscientist, Manny Casanova, has recently started a wordpress blog focusing mainly on autism research (his and others). I thought in particular his post on mirror neurons might be interesting to folks here.

Cortical Chauvinism:
http://corticalchauvinism.wordpress.com ... nd-autism/

So what are your thoughts on mirror neurons, theory of mind, and autism? Feel free to post either here or on the blog; Manny would love to hear your thoughts.

Having been a part of the online autistic community since 2004, I've known the theory sounded like bollocks for years. But apparently there's still a few researchers around holding onto old paradigms. Ah well.

Thanks in advance for reading and I look forward to discussion!

I don't see why mirror neurons would play any particular part in Autism.

The page mentioned that the same neurons are activated to a degree when watching a behavior as if one did it themselves. Does this also apply to the neurons in the spinal cord? There is a fair deal of processing that takes place there to do things like walking or running so that the brain does not have to maintain really detailed control over those processes. There is also work going on to help people who are paralyzed to be able to do some walking (maybe not under a full load) for the purpose of providing some exercise to their legs. Check out Susan Harkema's work on the step function for examples of this.

I'm not sure, but I think that mirror neurons may also be involved in other uses as well -- when you imagine seeing something the same neuronal processes are involved as if you actually saw them. For example, if you imagine seeing your parents, I think that the same neurons generally fire as if you actually saw them. I would appreciate it if anyone can confirm or refute this understanding/misunderstanding.

Do the same neurons always fire as if you were performing the same act? If it is something that you have never done, I'm not sure how the neurons would fire if they had never been involved in that act before.

For example, suppose that you are watching surfers but have never surfed before in your life. Your brain and nervous system really has no concept of what it involves to go surfing if you haven't actually gone out and tried to surf. All of the activity it takes to try to stay on your feet on a surf board would be likely be meaningless without some basis in experience.

As far as the visual system, though it's definitely not my area, iirc some of the same neurons fire if you're recalling an image as when you're actually seeing it, but I don't think all do. But that would make sense since memory tends to be more generalized to varying degrees. Plus there's probably networks more involved in the initial process of sensory information intake that are not needed when recapitulating a visual image.

But definitely good points.

Thank you for the link to the blog, i will definitely give it a read.
My knowledge of mirror neurons is limited. I know that the Still Face Study is proof of the mirror neurons in action between a mother and her child.
Knowing more about how mirror neurons work is interesting. Google has scholarly articles about this as well for those who want to research.

According to those that know me, i don't have a good Theory of Mind. I do have empathy though.

The Broken Mirror Hypothesis is a little too much for my brain right now.

One time my gf were giving bikes to a family who had several foster children.
One of the children was a little boy who was LFA. He could ride with training wheels, yet would constantly stop to stim and touch the grass.
Stop touch the grass, stop touch the grass. I started to do this with him each time he did it.
He is mainly nonverbal and actually spoke to me and attempted to hand me a piece of grass.
Would this be due to me joining him in his "world" and my neurons would be mirroring his?

In my opinion there are several different reasons for ASD and not just one reason or theory that would explain us all. So this theory is propably correct for many autistics, but not all.

So far I know there could no theory been found that would explain all ppl on the autism spectrum, but instead many theories to explain subgroups on the spectrum.

Could you change the poll options to something less confusing?

I think the precise word is hypothesis or conjecture, not theory.

Unfortunately I can't edit the poll options, but they were mainly just a bit of fun, not so serious.

It's easy to imitate. The hard part is knowing when and how to use the behavior appropriately.