Activity of Mirror Neurons and Its Effect on Various Diseases

Öz

Research on the neuroanatomical structure and functionality of mirror neurons has increased considerably in recent years. Especially in the treatment approaches applied in neurological and orthopedic patient groups, active applications with the participation of the patient are preferred instead of passive applications. One of the main reasons for this is to aim to make the treatment permanent by including mirror neurons and the primary motor cortex. Revealing the functional and dysfunctional states of mirror neurons makes a great contribution to understanding the symptoms of patients in treatment sessions. With the planned mirror therapy, especially by activating mirror neurons, patients restructure their neuronal connections and provide neuroplastic activity, thus contributing to the healing processes. Although the structural features of the diseases in which the activation of mirror neurons takes place in the literature differ, it is possible to say that mirror neurons are activated as a common feature and contribute to the treatment. In the treatment applications, it has been determined that even in cases where the relevant functional movement is not physically performed by the patient, the cognitive imagery of the movement increases the well-being of the patient by activating the mirror neurons.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Neuroanatomy
• mirror neuron
• neurocognitive disorders

Ayna Nöronların Aktivitesi ve Çeşitli Hastalıklar Üzerine Etkisi

Öz

Ayna nöronların nöroanatomik yapılanması ve işlevselliğinin araştırılması son yıllarda oldukça artmıştır. Özellikle nörolojik ve ortopedik hasta gruplarında uygulanan tedavi yaklaşımlarında pasif uygulamalar yerine hastanın katılımının olduğu aktif uygulamalar tercih edilmektedir. Bunun temel sebeplerinden birisi ayna nöronları ve birincil motor korteksi dâhil ederek tedaviyi kalıcı hale getirmeyi amaçlamaktır. Ayna nöronların fonksiyonel ve disfonksiyonel durumlarını ortaya koymak, tedavi seanslarında hastaların semptomlarını anlamada çok büyük katkı sağlamaktadır. Özellikle ayna nöronları aktive ederek planlanan ayna terapisi ile hastalar nöronal bağlantılarını yeniden yapılandırarak nöroplastik aktivite sağlarlar ve böylece iyileşme süreçlerine katkıda bulunmuş olurlar. Literatür taramalarında ayna nöronların aktivasyonlarının yer aldığı hastalıkların yapısal özellikleri birbirinden farklı olsa da ortak özellik olarak ayna nöronların aktive edilerek tedaviye katkı sağladığını söylemek mümkündür. Yapılan tedavi uygulamalarında, ilgili fonksiyonel hareketin hasta tarafından fiziksel olarak yapılmadığı durumlarda dahi bilişsel olarak hareketin yapıldığının imgelenmesi, ayna nöronları aktive ederek hastanın iyilik halini arttırdığı belirlenmiştir. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Nöroanatomi
• ayna nöron
• nörobilişsel bozukluklar

Kaynakça

1. Heyes C, Catmur C. What happened to mirror neurons? Perspectives on Psychological Science. 2022;17(1):153-168.
2. Huttunen AW, Adams GK, Platt M. Can self-awareness be taught? Monkeys pass the mirror test again. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2017;114(13):3281-3283.
3. Chang L, Zhang S, Poo MM. et al. Spontaneous expression of mirror self-recognition in monkeys after learning precise visual-proprioceptive association for mirror images. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2017;114(12):3258–3263.
4. Chang L, Fang Q, Zhang S, et al. Mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in rhesus monkeys after visualsomatosensory training. Current Biology. 2015;25(2):212–217.
5. Rajala AZ, Reininger KR, Lancaster KM, et al. Rhesus monkeys (macaca mulatta) do recognize themselves in the mirror: Implications for the evolution of self-recognition. PLoS ONE. 2010;5(9):e12865.
6. Asendorpf J, Warkentin V, Baudonniere PM. Self-awareness and other-awareness II: Mirror self-recognition, social contingency awareness, and synchronic imitation. Developmental Psychology. 1996;32(2):313–321.
7. Bard KA, Todd BK, Bernier C, et al. Self-awareness in human and chimpanzee infants: What is measured and what is meant by the mark and mirror test? Infancy. 2006;9(2):191–219.
8. Bretas R, Taoka M, Hihara S, et al. Neural evidence of mirror self-recognition in the secondary somatosensory cortex of macaque: observations from a single-cell recording experiment and implications for consciousness. Brain Sciences. 2021;11(2):157.

9. Grafton ST. The cognitive neuroscience of prehension: Recent developments. Experimental Brain Research. 2010;204(4):475-491.
10. Albertini D, Gerbella M, Lanzilotto M, et al. Connectional gradients underlie functional transitions in monkey pre-supplementary motor area. Progress In Neurobiology. 2020;184:101699.
11. Bruni S, Gerbella M, Bonini L, et al. Cortical and subcortical connections of parietal and premotor nodes of the monkey hand mirror neuron network. Brain Structure Function. 2018;223(4):1713-1729.
12. Kilner JM, Lemon RN. What we know currently about mirror neurons. Current Biology. 2013;23(23):R1057-R1062.
13. Rizzolatti G, Fogassi L. The mirror mechanism: recent findings and perspectives. Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences. 2014;369(1644):20130420.
14. Mazurek KA, Schieber MH. Mirror neurons precede non-mirror neurons during action execution. Journal Of Neurophysiology. 2019;122(6):2630-2635.
15. Jing YH, Lin T, Li W, et al. Comparison of activation patterns in mirror neurons and the swallowing network during action observation and execution: a task-based fMRI study. Frontiers in neuroscience. 2020;14:867.
16. Gallese V, Keysers C, Rizzolatti G. A unifying view of the basis of social cognition. Trends in Cognitive Science. 2004;8(9):396–403.
17. Brunsdon VE, Bradford EE, Smith L, et al. Short-term physical training enhances mirror system activation to action observation. Social Neuroscience. 2020;15(1):98-107.
18. Kim JC, Lee HM. EEG-based evidence of mirror neuron Activity from app-mediated stroke patient observation. Medicina. 2021;57(9):979.
19. Huang L, Yang Q. The effects of the electric stimulation of percutaneous acupuncture on limb dysfunction in hemiplegia after cerebral infarction. Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2014;38(1):49–51.
20. Serrano S, Domingo J, Rodriguez-Garcia E, et al. Frequency of cognitive impairment without dementia in patients with stroke: A two-year follow-up study. Stroke. 2007;38(1):105–110. doi:10.1161/01.STR.0000251804.13102.c0.
21. Mao H, Li Y, Tang L, et al. Effects of mirror neuron system‐based training on rehabilitation of stroke patients. Brain and Behavior. 2020;10(8):e01729.
22. Mekbib DB, Debeli DK, Zhang L, et al. A novel fully immersive virtual reality environment for upper extremity rehabilitation in patients with stroke. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2021;1493(1):75-89.
23. Nogueira NGDHM, Parma JO, de Assis Leão SES, et al. Mirror therapy in upper limb motor recovery and activities of daily living, and its neural correlates in stroke individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Research Bulletin. 2021;177:217-238.
24. Khalil R, Tindle R, Boraud T, et al. Social decision making in autism: On the impact of mirror neurons, motor control, and imitative behaviors. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics. 2018;24(8):669-676.
25. Buccino G, Arisi D, Gough P, et al. Improving upper limb motor functions through action observation treatment: A pilot study in children with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. 2012;54(9):822–828. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2012.04334.x.
26. Randall M, Carlin JB, Chondros P, et al. Reliability of the Melbourne assessment of unilateral upper limb function. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 2001;43(11):761-767. doi:10.1017/S0012162201001396.
27. Sgandurra G, Ferrari A, Cossu G, et al. Randomized trial of observation and execution of upper extremity actions versus action alone in children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Neurorehabilitation Neural Repair. 2013;27(9):808–815. doi:10.1177/1545968313497101.
28. Rizzolatti G, Fabbri-Destro M, Nuara A, et al. The role of mirror mechanism in the recovery, maintenance, and acquisition of motor abilities. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2021;127:404-423.
29. Rocca MA, Tortorella P, Ceccarelli A, et al. The “mirror-neuron system” in MS: A 3 tesla fMRI study. Neurology 2008;70(4):255–262. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000284667.29375.7e.
30. Plata-Bello J, Pérez-Martín Y, Castañón-Pérez A, et al. The mirror neuron system in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients with low disability. Brain Topography. 2017;30(4):548-559. doi:10.1007/s10548-017-0558-y.
31. Tofani M, Santecchia L, Conte A, et al. Effects of mirror neurons-based rehabilitation techniques in hand injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(9):5526.
32. Rostami HR, Arefi A, Tabatabaei S. Effect of mirror therapy on hand function in patients with hand orthopedic injuries: A randomized controlled trial. Disability and Rehabilitation. 2013;35(19):1647–1651.
33. Abolfazli M, Lajevardi L, Mirzaei L, et al. The effect of early intervention of mirror visual feedback on pain. Disability and motor function following hand reconstructive surgery: A randomized clinical trial. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2019;33(3):494–503.
34. Paula MH, Barbosa, RI, Marcolino AM, et al. Early sensory re-education of the hand after peripheral nerve repair based on mirror therapy: A randomized controlled trial. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. 2016;20:58–65
35. Hsu HY, Chen PT, Kuan TS, et al. A touch-observation and task-based mirror therapy protocol to improve sensorimotor control and functional capability of hands for patients with peripheral nerve injury. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2019;73(2).