?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Imitation%2C+mirror+neurons+and+autism&rft.creator=Williams%2C+Justin+H.G.&rft.creator=Whiten%2C+Andrew&rft.creator=Suddendorf%2C+Thomas&rft.creator=Perrett%2C+David+I.&rft.subject=Neuropsychology&rft.subject=Neuropsychiatry&rft.subject=Developmental+Psychology&rft.subject=Animal+Cognition&rft.subject=Cognitive+Psychology&rft.subject=Philosophy+of+Mind&rft.subject=Evolutionary+Psychology&rft.description=Various+deficits+in+the+cognitive+functioning+of+people+with+autism+have+been+documented+in+recent+years+but+these+provide+only+partial+explanations+for+the+condition.+We+focus+instead+on+an+imitative+disturbance+involving+difficulties+both+in+copying+actions+and+in+inhibiting+more+stereotyped+mimicking%2C+such+as+echolalia.+A+candidate+for+the+neural+basis+of+this+disturbance+may+be+found+in+a+recently+discovered+class+of+neurons+in+frontal+cortex%2C+'mirror+neurons'+(MNs).+These+neurons+show+activity+in+relation+both+to+specific+actions+performed+by+self+and+matching+actions+performed+by+others%2C+providing+a+potential+bridge+between+minds.+MN+systems+exist+in+primates+without+imitative+and+%E2%80%98theory+of+mind%E2%80%99+abilities+and+we+suggest+that+in+order+for+them+to+have+become+utilized+to+perform+social+cognitive+functions%2C+sophisticated+cortical+neuronal+systems+have+evolved+in+which+MNs+function+as+key+elements.+Early+developmental+failures+of+MN+systems+are+likely+to+result+in+a+consequent+cascade+of+developmental+impairments+characterised+by+the+clinical+syndrome+of+autism.&rft.date=2001&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F2613%2F1%2Fmn.pdf&rft.identifier=++Williams%2C+Justin+H.G.+and+Whiten%2C+Andrew+and+Suddendorf%2C+Thomas+and+Perrett%2C+David+I.++(2001)+Imitation%2C+mirror+neurons+and+autism.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F2613%2F