Peter G Enticott

..We discuss the mechanism by which mirror neurons might facilitate facial emotion recognition...

..mPFC appears to play a role in affective ToM processing, but the present study suggest that stimulation outcomes are dependent on baseline empathic abilities...

..Electrophysiologic studies reveal abnormalities in the preparation of movement; repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to key motor cortical sites may therefore be a useful technique for improving motor function in ASD...

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..A prominent explanatory model suggests that social-relating symptoms may arise from dysfunction within the mirror neuron system, while a recent neuroimaging study suggests that these impairments in ASD might reduce with age...

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..These findings are consistent with the notion that human hand-related mirror neurons are sensitive to object- and goal-directed behaviour, rather than biological motion per se...

..This study examined motor cortical inhibition and excitability in HFA and Asperger disorder using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)...

..This preliminary study investigates the association between behavioural inhibition (here the suppression or cessation of an inappropriate response) and aggression...

..Slower inhibitory processes were evident in schizophrenia, but there was no association with impulsivity. The nature of inhibition and impulsivity in schizophrenia is complex, and could reflect schizophrenia subgroups or disease states...

..Dysfunction within the mirror neuron system may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia...

..While these findings should be interpreted with caution, cognitive inhibition in schizophrenia may be unrelated to impulsive behaviors that are commonly linked to violent offending...

..We investigated the neurophysiology of internally determined motor activity in autism and Asperger syndrome via examination of movement-related potentials (MRPs)...

..There was no association between mirror systems and self-reported empathy. Mirror systems may not be more responsive to interactive behaviour, but the inclusion of a strong emotional element could be of significance to mirror neurons...

..We speculate that our findings reflect a generalized response to pain observation arising from hyperactivity of motor mirror neurons not involved in direct one-to-one simulation but, rather, in the representation of another's experience...

..Thus, when not paired with a pain-related stimulus, changes in motor cortical excitability do not appear to contribute to the experience of mirror pain in lower-limb amputees...

..These results provide the first documentation of atypical neurophysiological activity in amputees who experience synaesthetic pain when processing pain in another...

..These data support the role of IFG, a presumed mirror neuron region, in IMR...

..Abnormal gait features are stable across key developmental periods and are, therefore, promising for use in clinical screening for autism...

..Gait differences in autism and Asperger's disorder were suggested to reflect differential involvement of the cerebellum, with commonalities reflecting similar involvement of the basal-ganglia frontostriatal region...

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..The overlap between MRP traces for autism and Parkinson's disease suggests that the neurobiological wiring of motor functioning in autism may bypass the supplementary motor area/primary motor cortex pathway...

..This study provides evidence that emotional valence can modulate mirror neuron activity, which may reflect an adaptive mechanism...

..ERP findings suggest that a memory retrieval processes underlies the repetition component of inhibition after effects. These findings are considered within the broader context of ERP findings in the negative priming literature...

..Further understanding of synaesthesia for pain may provide a greater insight to abnormal empathic function in clinical populations as well as therapeutic intervention for at risk groups...

..By contrast, no response inhibition impairments were evident among males with ASD. Females with ASD may have a different neurobehavioural profile, and therefore different clinical needs, when compared with males with ASD...

..This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Neurodevelopmental Disorders'...

..However, whether this effect can be enhanced by cognitive activity undertaken during tDCS has not yet been explored...

..These findings suggest that while the putative human mirror system is responsive to goal-directed behaviour, it may not be more responsive to behaviour that occurs within a social context...

..Differing IQ-OI relationships existed between HFA and ASP. Findings support the hypothesis of separate neurobiological underpinnings in ASP and HFA, specifically differential orbitofrontal functioning...

..Increased awareness and diagnosis of these conditions should not limit career or personal goals of individuals with PDDs but should aid them in finding happy and productive careers and lives...

..Considering evidence for cortical dysfunction in ASD, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been discussed as a potential therapeutic technique...

..Results are discussed in terms of weak top-down integration and precision-accuracy trade-offs. The RHI appears to be a useful tool for investigating multisensory processing in ASD...

..One such intervention involves concurrent exposure to affective stimuli that have been shown to result in activation of brain regions associated with emotion. This pilot study of ten participants investigates such an intervention...

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..We will discuss this theory in the context of a documented group of amputees who experience synaesthesia for pain in phantom limbs...