Abstract
Recently, it is claimed that automatic simulation of inner state in other's brain by observation of action is very important neural mechanism for social interaction. The idea is on the lines of simulation theory. Mirror neurons, which were found in the ventral premotor cortex and inferior parietal cortex of the monkey, are considered to be neuronal correlates of this simulating mechanism. On the other hand, self-other representation in the brain should be necessary in social interaction. Recent imaging experiments suggest that motor control system may be involved in recognition of agency of action or ownership of one's own body parts. We speculate the mirror neurons in the parietal cortex of the monkey would be also involved in monitoring own body action. Actually, we found that some neurons related to the hand manipulation task in the parietal cortex responded to the movie of own hand action. These neurons were also active during observation of other's hand action. Further, we also found that this visual response was less active in the delayed feedback than in the real time. These results suggest that matching between efference copy and sensory feedback (visual and somatosensory) may occur in the parietal cortex. This may be neural bases of self-other distinction. Further, I will also present visual-somatosensory bimodal neurons have visual receptive field on the corresponding other's body parts. I would like to discuss functional property of inferior parietal cortex for the self-other distinction and matching. [J Physiol Sci. 2006;56 Suppl:S61]
