Why is the mirror neuron system so controversial? About a dozen papers have reported direct evidence for mirror neuron activity in monkeys and birds. Approximately 100 times as many papers refer to mirror neurons without directly recording their activity, often implying a link between mirror neurons and higher cognitive functions. While the existence of mirror neurons in animals is beyond doubt...

Since their discovery, mirror neurons—units in the macaque brain that discharge both during action observation and execution—have attracted considerable interest. Whether mirror neurons are an innate endowment or acquire their sensorimotor matching properties ontogenetically has been the subject of intense debate. It is widely believed that these units are an innate trait; that we are born with...

Since their discovery, mirror neurons—units in the macaque brain that discharge both during action observation and execution—have attracted considerable interest. Whether mirror neurons are an innate endowment or acquire their sensorimotor matching properties ontogenetically has been the subject of intense debate. It is widely believed that these units are an innate trait; that we are born with...

Since their discovery, mirror neurons—units in the macaque brain that discharge both during action observation and execution—have attracted considerable interest. Whether mirror neurons are an innate endowment or acquire their sensorimotor matching properties ontogenetically has been the subject of intense debate. It is widely believed that these units are an innate trait; that we are born with...

Since their discovery, mirror neurons--units in the macaque brain that discharge both during action observation and execution--have attracted considerable interest. Whether mirror neurons are an innate endowment or acquire their sensorimotor matching properties ontogenetically has been the subject of intense debate. It is widely believed that these units are an innate trait; that we are born wi...