MIRROR NEURONS AND EMBODIED COGNITION

The mirror neuron theory has had a huge influence on both the embodied and also in other areas, such as language and social. In the human brain, studies show that the inferior limb of the precentral sulcus/posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus, the inferior parietal lobe, and the superior temporal sulcus, and recently also the supplementary motor cortex, the primary somatosensory cortex, and visual area are recruited during both observation and imitation/execution of actions Moreover, many studies have demonstrated that action observation leads to highly effector-specific and even muscle-specific modulations of corticospinal excitability. The theory actually states that these neurons constitute a key mechanism shared by the production of actions and understanding of the action. More specifically, it suggests that populations of mirror neurons are involved in the mediation of both of these functions.