Mirror neurons responding to the observation of ingestive and communicative mouth actions in the monkey ventral premotor cortex
Abstract
In the ventral premotor cortex (area F5) of the monkey there are neurons that discharge both when the monkey performs specific motor actions and when it observes another individual performing a similar action (mirror neurons). Previous studies on mirror neurons concerned hand actions. Here, we describe the mirror responses of F5 neurons that motorically code mouth actions. The results showed that about one-third of mouth motor neurons also discharge when the monkey observes another individual performing mouth actions. The majority of these 'mouth mirror neurons' become active during the execution and observation of mouth actions related to ingestive functions such as grasping, sucking or breaking food. Another population of mouth mirror neurons also discharges during the execution of ingestive actions, but the most effective visual stimuli in triggering them are communicative mouth gestures (e.g. lip smacking). Some also fire when the monkey makes communicative gestures. These findings extend the notion of mirror system from hand to mouth action and suggest that area F5, the area considered to be the homologue of human Broca's area, is also involved in communicative functions.
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Monkey mirror neurons have been found that are responsive to the observation and execution of hand and mouth actions.
“To date, monkey MNs have been found that are responsive to the observation and execution of hand and mouth actions.”
From Mirror neurons: from origin to function (2014) · cites this paper as Ferrari et al., 2003
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 Ferrari et al., 2003
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- Authors
- Ferrari, P. F., Gallese, V., Rizzolatti, G., & Fogassi, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Parma (IT)
- Venue
- European Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-04
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1703-1714
- ISSN
- 0953-816X (ISSN-L)
- 1460-9568
- OpenAlex
- W2101600900
- Cited by
- 728
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 55 · 2013: 38 · 2012: 48
- FWCI
- 62.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Keywords
- mirror neurons, ventral premotor cortex, gestural communication, grasping, sucking, action observation
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Brain Mapping, Electromyography, Frontal Lobe, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Imitative Behavior, Macaca nemestrina, Microelectrodes, Motor Cortex, Mouth, Neurons, Psychomotor Performance, Visual Perception
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