Mirror Neuron System in Autism: Broken or Just Slowly Developing? ScienceDaily (May 5, 2011) — Developmental abnormalities in the mirror neuron system may contribute to social deficits in autism. The mirror neuron system is a brain circuit that enables us to better understand and anticipate the actions of others. These circuits activate in similar ways when we perform actions or watch other people perform the same actions. Now, a new study published in Biological Psychiatry reports that the mirror system in individuals with autism is not actually broken, but simply delayed. Dr. Christian Keysers, lead author on the project, detailed their findings, "While most of us have their strongest mirror activity while they are young, autistic individuals seem to have a weak mirror system in their youth, but their mirror activity increases with age, is normal by about age 30 and unusually high thereafter." This increase in function of mirror neuron systems may be related to increased capacity for social function or responsiveness to rehabilitative treatments among individuals with autism. "The finding of late developing circuit functions could be very important. One wonders whether the recent breakthroughs in the genetics of autism could help to identify causes for the developmental delays. This type of bridge might help to identify novel treatment mechanisms for autism," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. One of the next steps in this line of research will be for researchers to examine how individuals with autism accomplish this improvement over time, and how therapeutic interventions targeting the same mechanism can help to support this important process. -- 網址： http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110503081159.htm 論文： http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.11.007 這篇一目了然 大意是說自閉症的鏡像神經元沒有損毀 只是發展比較慢 而這篇是提出自閉症在神經與認知上是有進步的相關證據。 --

※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 140.112.33.136