Das spiegelneuronensystem und seine rolle in der neurologischen rehabilitation

Mirror neurons, first described in the rostral part of monkey ventral premotor cortex (area F5), discharge both when the animal performs a goal-directed hand action and when it observes another individual performing the same or a similar action. In humans, through an fMRI study, it has been shown that the observation of actions performed with the hand, the mouth and the foot leads to the activation of different sectors of Broca's area and premotor cortex, according to the effector involved in the observed action, following a somatotopic pattern which resembles the classical motor cortex homunculus. Neurons with mirror properties have also been found in the inferior parietal and superior temporal cortex. There is evidence that these areas, together with the premotor mirror neurons, constitute an execution-observation matching system (mirror neuron system). It has been proposed that this system is involved in action recognition, action imitation and motor learning. These unique properties of the mirror neuron system are of great potential use for the rehabilitation of lost motor functions. Here we present an idea of a new neurorehabilitative therapy that utilizes the activation of higher motor areas by movement observation.