Mirror neurons

Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that respond equally when we perform an action and when we witness someone else perform the same action. They were first discovered in the early 1990s, when a team of Italian researchers found individual neurons in the brains of macaque monkeys that fired both when the monkeys grabbed an object and also when the monkeys watched another primate grab the same object.

Empathy and learning

Mirror neurons are thought to be a key factor in empathy and understanding other people's emotions. When we see someone else experiencing an emotion, the same neurons fire in our brain as if we were experiencing that emotion ourselves. This mirroring process allows us to feel what others are feeling and helps us to understand and empathise with them.

Imitation learning

Mirror neurons also play a crucial role in imitation learning, the process by which we learn new skills by watching others. When we observe someone performing a task, the same neurons fire in our brain as if we were performing the task ourselves. This allows us to learn and replicate the actions of others.