Activity of mirror neurons in man in the observation, pronunciation and mental pronunciation of words.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of mirror neurons in humans during observation, pronunciation and mental pronunciation of emotional and neutral words depending on the lateral organization of the brain. To achieve this goal, the methods of electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were used to examine brain activity in young men when observing, pronouncing and mental pronouncing emotional and neutral words. EEG was recorded monopolar using a 24-channel encephalograph-analyzer "Encephalan-131-03" (Medicom, Taganrog, Russia), fMRI were obtained on a 3 T Magnetom Verio tomograph (Siemens). Research have shown that the performance of activities related to observation, pronouncing and mental pronouncing of words is accompanied by a depression of the mu rhythm and, most often, increased levels of cortical communication at the frequency of this rhythm between the central and frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital zones of brain. The results of fMRI - studies showed the participation of a complex of structures represented by neurons of the left inferior frontal gyrus, the right posterior region of the middle temporal gyrus, and the right region of the angular gyrus, which, presumably, is part of the system of mirror neurons and the complex of structures represented by the neurons of the area of precuneus right areas of the gyrus, which are likely to be part of the system of production of speech directly in the provision of cognitive activity associated with observation, associated with the observation, pronunciation and mental pronunciation of emotional and neutral words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]