Mirrors nerves and monkey brains
- 1. Mirrors, Nerves & Getting to know youwhat monkeys¡¯ brains tell us about communicationKeith NormanOccupational Therapy Student
- 2. Love¡®Love one another... as I have loved you.¡¯ Jesus of Nazareth¡®Love is not the product of thought¡¯JidduKrishnamurtiI'll be your dream?I'll be your wish?I'll be your fantasy.?I'll be your hope?I'll be your love?Be everything that you need Savage Garden
- 3. The Art of LovingEvidence-based and outcome-oriented practice often overlook the importance of caring in professional relationshipsUnconditional love is vital to the development of the individualAcceptance (unconditional positive regard), empathy and genuineness (Rogers)Communication of empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard nurtures self-healing(Stickley and Freshwater 2002)
- 5. Love by another name?Stern (1985) Empathic AttunementWinnicott (1965) HoldingBion (1963) Container/containedPines (1982) Mirroring
- 6. Reflections on MirroringMirrorMirroringImmediate/fleetingOne-wayExactUnbiasedFlat/two-dimensionalDelayed/enduringTwo-wayAn imitationColoured by thoughts, judgements and pre-conditioningLayered, complex, multi-textured
- 9. Mirror NeuronsIndividual neurons fire when an action is performed and when it is observed or heardIn macaques inferior frontal gyrus (region F5) and the inferior parietal lobuleIn humans inferior frontal cortex (close to Broca¡¯s area) and superior parietal lobeAllow humans to understand others actions, but also emotionsPeople who have high activity in brain regions associated with mirror neurons also score highly on empathy questionaires
- 17. Importance of mirror neurons?Allow others¡¯ actions and intentions to be automatically understood/intuitedAllow others actions and intentions to be automatically and appropriately responded toWorks via insula with limbic system to allow understanding of others¡¯ emotional state
- 18. Mirror Neurons and Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)Abnormal function of mirror neurons (pars opercularis) during action observation and imitationNo activity in pars opercularis during facial expression recognitionLower activity in limbic (emotional) system during facial expression recognitionChildren with ASD able to imitate and name facial expressions do so using different neural strategies(Dapretto et al 2005)
- 19. Consequences of mirror neuron deficit in ASDLoss of a potential bridge between mindsCritical for intersubjective understanding, attention sharing and social survivalImitation is critical for early development and learning (motor, language, behaviour)Loss of imaginative abilityBehaviour restricted, repetitive & stereotyped(Williams et al, 2001)
- 20. Conflicting theories of mind¡®Theory theory¡¯Logical process basedObserve others behavioursTheorize regarding mental/emotional statePredict behaviour and plan response¡®Simulation theory¡¯Intuition basedPut self in other¡¯s shoesSimulate mental processes operating in otherAct in concert with other
- 21. ¡®Theory theory¡¯Logical process basedObserve others behavioursTheorize regarding mental/emotional statePredict behaviour and plan response¡®Simulation theory¡¯Intuition basedPut self in other¡¯s shoesSimulate mental processes operating in otherAct in concert with other
- 22. True or False?
- 23. So what can we do differently now we know about mirror neurons?Find out more about themTrust in them (they give us lots of useful information)Be honest and genuine (the other person will know we¡¯re faking, even if they don¡¯t know that they know)Forgive others when they don¡¯t seem to understand us (their mirror neurons might be broken)
- 24. Has any of this got anything to do with spinal injury?
- 25. Thanks ¨C It¡¯s been amazing