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NOVA scienceNOW: Mirror Neurons
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
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The brain has many regions that perform different functions.
Have students use a map of the brain and brain stem to locate
these regions: frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe,
temporal lobe, cerebellum, and brain stem. They can use a brain
function map to determine the regions that control movement,
touch, hearing, vision, and breathing. Students might also try
the interactive activity on the Science Odyssey Web site (at
www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/brain/) that allows them to map brain motor functions. Have students
also research and describe the central nervous system and the
peripheral nervous system.
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What is a neuron? (In simple terms, a neuron is a nerve cell.
See Links & Books for more
information.) Have students research and sketch a neuron. They
should include in their sketch the cell soma (main body of the
cell) with attached dendrites and a singular branching axon that
forms presynaptic terminals on other neurons. Have students use
arrows to show the direction that impulses travel along nerve
cells. Ask them to also research and include how many neurons
make up the average adult human brain.
The really amazing part is how one neuron communicates with
another. Two neurons don't quite touch; they are separated by a
synaptic gap. To take the activity further, have students
research the synaptic gap and how a nerve impulse is transmitted
across this gap.
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Help students become more aware of nonverbal interactions. Ask
students to observe the facial expressions of their peers and
adults as they interact with them. Have them record in a log a
summary of each discussion and the corresponding facial
expression. (For example, while sharing an event that hurt their
feelings, their peer might look sad or angry.) Ask students not
to record sensitive information. Have students share their log
and experiences. What patterns do they see?
After Watching
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Babies often imitate adult facial expressions. Ask students how
mirror neurons might be involved in this. Have them speculate
about what babies learn by mimicking caregivers. Ask them to
consider how mirroring may be important to development and
survival. What might be the evolutionary survival advantages to
having a nervous system response that allows one to experience
what others experience? (Mirroring may help humans connect with
and learn quickly from each other. Some scientists think that
this may have increased humans' survival skills and chances of
survival.)
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The reactions and emotions of sports fans were used to
illustrate the function of mirror neurons. Have students explore
this phenomenon further. Have students select three or four
pictures from newspapers or magazines of people displaying the
following emotions: anger, grief or sadness, joy, and surprise.
Ask them to mount each picture on paper and label them a, b, c,
and d, respectively. Pair students and have partners show the
pictures to each other. They should ask the following questions:
How does the picture make you feel? What emotion do you see? As
a class, discuss students' experiences.
Some students may find that they had different reactions than
their partners. Do we all have the same emotional reaction to
the same stimuli? Test it out. Have students survey at least
five children and adults and record their responses to the
questions above. Also have them ask each person they survey:
What might have happened in the picture to trigger that facial
expression or emotion? Summarize students' results on the board.
Are there any patterns? Did people tend to experience similar
emotions when viewing the same picture? Were there differences
between child and adult responses to the same pictures? Ask
students to share survey stories about what may have triggered
the emotions displayed in the pictures. What generalizations can
they make about the responses?
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Asperger syndrome is a developmental disorder related to autism
that impairs language and communication skills. Autism is very
complex and has many symptoms. People with autism may be very
intelligent but have difficulty with social interactions. Dr.
Ramachandran thinks there may be a connection between mirror
neurons and autism. Have students explore the behaviors and
challenges faced by people with this syndrome. Have them
research the symptoms, causes, and treatments for Asperger
syndrome. What life experiences might be more difficult for
people with Asperger syndrome? What experiences are the same for
people with and without Asperger syndrome?
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Ask students to critically evaluate the concept of mirror
neurons. Are students convinced, or not convinced, by the
evidence presented that there are distinct neurons in the brain
that mediate the behavioral phenomenon referred to as mirroring?
What evidence is compelling? What additional questions need to
be answered?
Web Sites
Nerve Synapse
www.conncoll.edu/academics/zoology/courses/zoo202/Nervous/synapse.html
Explains what happens at a nerve synapse and includes animation.
The Nervous System Help Outline
www.bi.iup.edu/historyofpain/helpoutlineforthenervoussystem.html
Describes the functions of the nervous system, including a diagram
of a nerve cell with arrows that show how impulses travel.
CNS, Nervous System, Neurons, and Peripheral Nervous System
http://library.thinkquest.org/~16421/1024x768/frames/Systems/nervous/nervous.htm
Has basic information about the brain and the central and peripheral
nervous systems.
Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm
Answers several frequently asked questions about Asperger syndrome.
Books
Byrnie, Faith Hickman.
101 Questions Your Brain Has Asked Itself But Couldn't Answer
Until Now.
Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Group, 1998.
Includes a physical description of the brain and how it functions.
Greenfield, Susan A. The Human Brain: A Guided Tour New York:
Basic Books, 1997.
Includes five essays on the brain and contains information about
memory and how neurons communicate.
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