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Cited by 298Action Observation and SynchronizationMotor Control and AdaptationPrimate Behavior and Ecology

Corticospinal Neurons in Macaque Ventral Premotor Cortex with Mirror Properties: A Potential Mechanism for Action Suppression?

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Kraskov, Alexander, Dancause, Numa, Quallo, Marsha M., Shepherd, Samantha, Lemon, Roger N.·2009·Neuron
DOI 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.12.010PMC PMC2862290
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Abstract

The discovery of "mirror neurons" in area F5 of the ventral premotor cortex has prompted many theories as to their possible function. However, the identity of mirror neurons remains unknown. Here, we investigated whether identified pyramidal tract neurons (PTNs) in area F5 of two adult macaques exhibited "mirror-like" activity. About half of the 64 PTNs tested showed significant modulation of their activity while monkeys observed precision grip of an object carried out by an experimenter, with somewhat fewer showing modulation during precision grip without an object or grasping concealed from the monkey. Therefore, mirror-like activity can be transmitted directly to the spinal cord via PTNs. A novel finding is that many PTNs (17/64) showed complete suppression of discharge during action observation, while firing actively when the monkey grasped food rewards. We speculate that this suppression of PTN discharge might be involved in the inhibition of self-movement during action observation.

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  • Sizable proportions, perhaps the majority, of mirror neurons exhibit robust responses to the observation of object-free body movement.

    “subsequent studies confirmed that sizable proportions, perhaps the majority, of MNs exhibit robust responses to the observation of object-free body movement.”

    From Mirror neurons: from origin to function (2014) · cites this paper as Kraskov et al., 2009

  • Monkey mirror neuron responses start around 250 ms after observed movement onset.

    “MN responses start around 250ms after observed movement onset”

    From Mirror neurons: from origin to function (2014) · cites this paper as Kraskov et al., 2009

    The Results (“Classic” Mirror Neurons; page unavailable) describe firing as the experimenter’s hand neared the food, but give no response latency measured from movement onset. A search for “250 ms” and observation-response onset found no passage establishing the claimed timing. (LLM, conf=0.75)

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Authors
Kraskov, A., Dancause, N., Quallo, M. M., Shepherd, S., & Lemon, R. N.
Affiliations
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (GB)
Corresponding author
Lemon, Roger N.
ORCID
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-12
Volume
64
Issue
6
Pages
922-930
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.neuron.2009.12.010
PMC
PMC2862290
OpenAlex
W1970012077
Cited by
298
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 26
FWCI
29.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust (073920)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
Keywords
mirror neurons, ventral premotor cortex, pyramidal tract neurons, action observation, precision grip, action suppression, corticospinal neurons, motor inhibition, macaque
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Female, Frontal Lobe, Imitative Behavior, Macaca mulatta, Male, Motor Cortex, Movement, Neural Inhibition, Neurons, Photic Stimulation, Pyramidal Tracts, Reward, Visual Perception, Hand Strength

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