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The origin and function of mirror neurons: The missing link

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2014

Angelika Lingnau  and
Alfonso Caramazza
Angelika Lingnau
Affiliation:
Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38100 Mattarello, Italy. [email protected]://www.cimec.unitn.it
Alfonso Caramazza
Affiliation:
Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38100 Mattarello, Italy. [email protected]://www.cimec.unitn.it Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138. [email protected]://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~caram/index.html
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Abstract

We argue, by analogy to the neural organization of the object recognition system, that demonstration of modulation of mirror neurons by associative learning does not imply absence of genetic adaptation. Innate connectivity defines the types of processes mirror neurons can participate in while allowing for extensive local plasticity. However, the proper function of these neurons remains to be worked out.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 209 - 210
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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