The mirror neuron system across the lifespan and its role in social cognition

The human mirror neuron system may have an important role in social cognition. Difficulties in social cognitive abilities have been reported with increasing age. However, the mirror neuron system and its relationship with social cognitive abilities have not yet been investigated in healthy aging. The current study used sensorimotor mu desynchronization (composed of alpha and low beta activity) as an EEG marker of the human mirror neuron system. Participants aged 18 to 86-years-old completed a hand movement observation task during EEG recording. Firstly, participants completed a 2-minute resting-state EEG as a reference period and, secondly, watched different video clips that depicted either a static hand or various hand actions, such as locking a door or clicking fingers. To measure social cognitive abilities, participants completed a self-other perspective-taking task, a theory of mind task and an empathy task. Sensorimotor mu desynchronization across the pre-motor cortex, motor cortex and supplementary motor area was correlated with age. In addition, statistical models examined how sensorimotor mu desynchronization is related to individual differences in self-other perspective-taking, theory of mind and empathy abilities. Therefore, this study reports the relationship between the mirror neuron system and social cognitive abilities in healthy aging.