Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Aug;24(8):669-676.
doi: 10.1111/cns.13001. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Social decision making in autism: On the impact of mirror neurons, motor control, and imitative behaviors

Radwa Khalil  1   2 , Richard Tindle  3 , Thomas Boraud  4 , Ahmed A Moustafa  5 , Ahmed A Karim  2   6
Affiliations
Review

Social decision making in autism: On the impact of mirror neurons, motor control, and imitative behaviors

Radwa Khalil et al. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2018 Aug.

Abstract

The Mirror Neuron System (MNS) plays a crucial role in action perception and imitative behavior, which is suggested to be impaired in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). In this review, we discuss the plausibility and empirical evidence of a neural interaction between the MNS, action perception, empathy, imitative behavior, and their impact on social decision making in ASDs. To date, there is no consensus regarding a particular theory in ASDs and its underlying mechanisms. Some theories have completely focused on social difficulties, others have emphasized sensory aspects. Based on the current studies, we suggest a multilayer neural network model including the MNS on a first layer and transforming this information to a higher layer network responsible for reasoning. Future studies with ASD participants combining behavioral tasks with neuroimaging methods and transcranial brain stimulation as well as computational modeling can help validate and complement this suggested model. Moreover, we propose applying the behavioral paradigms, and the neurophysiological markers mentioned in this review article for evaluating psychiatric treatment approaches in ASDs. The investigation of modulating effects of different treatment approaches on the neurophysiological markers of the MNS can help find specific subgroups of ASDs patients and support tailored psychiatric interventions.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorders; basal ganglia; mirror neuron system; motor cortex; social decision making.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A schematic sketch of the proposed dynamical interaction between Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), Social Decision Making, and the Mirror Neuron System (MNS). The proposed multilayer neural network model includes the MNS on a first layer and transforming this information to a higher layer network responsible for reasoning. The MNS involves the motor system, the basal ganglia (BG), the insula, and other brain regions revealing the mirror neuron mechanism. Reasoning about others’ mental states mainly activates a putative “mind‐reading network” that is formed by the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the temporoparietal junction (TPJ)43, 44, 45, 46, 70
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. DiCicco‐Bloom E, Lord C, Zwaigenbaum L, et al. The developmental neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder. J Neurosci. 2006;26:6897‐6906. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Geschwind DH, Levitt P. Autism spectrum disorders: developmental disconnection syndromes. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2007;17:103‐111. - PubMed
    1. Hamilton AFDC. Cognitive underpinnings of social interaction. Q J Exp Psychol. 2015;68:417‐432. - PubMed
    1. American Psychiatric Association . Task Force on DSM 5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM‐5. DSM‐5. Philadelphia: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
    1. Hadjikhani N, Joseph RH, Snyder J, Tager‐Flusberg H. Abnormal activation of the social brain during face perception in autism. Hum Brain Mapp. 2007;28:441‐449. - PMC - PubMed