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Brain Imaging and Behavior (2013) 7:2834 DOI 10.1007/s11682-012-9189-9
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Mirror neuron activity during contagious yawningan fMRI study
Helene Haker & Wolfram Kawohl & Uwe Herwig &
Wulf Rssler
Published online: 7 July 2012# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012
Abstract Yawning is contagious. However, little research has been done to elucidate the neuronal representation of this phenomenon. Our study objective was to test the hypothesis that the human mirror neuron system (MNS) is activated by visually perceived yawning. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess brain activity during contagious yawning (CY). Signal-dependent changes in blood oxygen levels were compared when subjects viewed videotapes of yawning faces as opposed to faces with a neutral expression. In response to yawning, subjects showed unilateral activation of their Brodmanns area 9 (BA 9) portion of the right inferior frontal gyrus, a region of the MNS. In this way, two individuals could share physiological and associated emotional states based on perceived motor patterns. This is one component of empathy (motor empathy) that underlies the development of cognitive empathy. The BA 9 is reportedly active in tasks requiring mentalizing abilities. Our results emphasize the connection between the MNS and higher cognitive empathic functions, including mentalizing. We conclude that CY is based on a functional substrate of empathy.
Keywords Empathy . fMRI . Mirror neuron system . Social cognition . Imitation . Resonance . Inferior frontal gyrus
AbbreviationsBA Brodmanns AreaBOLD Blood oxygenation level-dependentCY Contagious yawningfMRI Functional magnetic resonance imaging IFG Inferior frontal gyrus
IPL Inferior parietal lobule MNS Mirror neuron system STS Sulcus temporalis superior
Introduction
Little research has been done to elucidate an origin for the fascinating phenomenon of contagious yawning (CY) (Provine 1986). In contrast to spontaneous yawning, which is considered evolutionarily old (Vischer 1959; Sepulveda and Mangiamarchi 1995), CY is phylogenetically and ontogenetically young, and may not appear until the second year after birth (Piaget 1951; Provine 1989; Anderson and Meno 2003). Whereas CY occurs in only a limited number of animal species besides humans, including chimpanzees (Anderson et al. 2004), macaques (Paukner and Anderson 2006), baboons (Palagi et al. 2009), and dogs (Joly-Mascheroni et al. 2008), spontaneous yawning can be found in almost all vertebrates. Why does CY require such a high degree of evolutionary and developmental...