The mirror-neuron system: a Bayesian perspective.

Full Abstract

Is it possible to understand the intentions of other people by simply observing their movements? Many neuroscientists believe that this ability depends on the brain's mirror-neuron system, which provides a direct link between action and observation. Precisely how intentions can be inferred through movement-observation, however, has provoked much debate. One problem in inferring the cause of an observed action, is that the problem is ill-posed because identical movements can be made when performing different actions with different goals. Here we suggest that this problem is solved by the mirror-neuron system using predictive coding on the basis of a statistical approach known as empirical Bayesian inference. This means that the most likely cause of an observed movement can be inferred by minimizing the prediction error at all cortical levels that are engaged during movement observation. This account identifies a precise role for the mirror-neuron system in our ability to infer intentions from observed movement and outlines possible computational mechanisms.

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Author information

Author/s: Kilner, James M (JM); Friston, Karl J (KJ); Frith, Chris D (CD);

Affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, London, UK. j.kilner(-atsign-)fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk

Grants: (Agency:Wellcome Trust)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Neuroreport (Neuroreport), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Apr; vol 18 (issue 6) : pp 619-23

Dates: Created 2007/04/06; Completed 2007/05/16; Revised 2007/08/13;

PMID: 17413668, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Motor Activity
Motor Cortex - cytology; physiology
Parietal Lobe - cytology; physiology
Social Behavior
Visual Perception - physiology

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