Mirror neurons are active when someone observes a movement as well as when someone performs the act himself. The same is true for the facial expression of emotion, which is why links have been made between mirror neurons and empathy. Also, researchers now have come to realize that mirror neurons as such probably are not a type of cell in the brain. Instead, mirroring is thought to be an emergent property of the network structure of the brain. We therefore sometimes also talk about the mirror system.
The brain area of interest to the Italian researchers is the premotor cortex, a brain area involved with the planning of our movements. The premotor cortex is connected to the motor cortex which controls our muscles and therefore movements. Thanks to the work of a famous neurosurgeon,
by Daniëlle van Versendaal
