什么是鏡像神經(jīng)元，它們?nèi)绾问刮覀兏型硇?

什么是鏡像神經(jīng)元，它們?nèi)绾问刮覀兏型硇?

Smiles are contagious.

微笑是會(huì)傳染的。

And no, that's not just what mom tells you as she carts you off to school, assuring you that you'll make plenty of friends. Just keep smiling.

不，這不僅僅是媽媽開(kāi)車(chē)送你上學(xué)時(shí)對(duì)你說(shuō)的話(huà)，她還向你保證你會(huì)交到很多朋友。只是保持微笑。

In fact, scientists have long noted that animals reflect each other's expressions — smiles, frowns and everything in between — as an essential means of communication.

事實(shí)上，科學(xué)家們?cè)缇妥⒁獾?，?dòng)物把彼此的表情——微笑、皺眉以及介于兩者之間的所有表情——作為一種基本的交流方式。

We may not know why someone is making a face, but mirror neurons allow us to simulate the feeling. (Photo: Dr Ajay Kumar Singh/Shutterstock)

It all comes down to a special kind of brain cell identified by Italian scientists back in 1992 called a mirror neuron.

這一切都?xì)w結(jié)于1992年意大利科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)的一種叫做鏡像神經(jīng)元的特殊腦細(xì)胞。

These neurons communicate from person to person, or primate to primate, essentially mirroring each other's expressions and the feelings that go along with them. Ultimately, they may form the pillars of empathy.

這些神經(jīng)元在人與人之間，或靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物與靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物之間進(jìn)行交流，本質(zhì)上反映了彼此的表情和感受。最終，它們可能會(huì)成為同理心的支柱。

Mirror neurons are also known as 'monkey see, monkey do' cells. (Photo: VectorMine/Shutterstock)

While some scientists have hailed mirror neurons as "the basis of civilization," others suggest their role may be somewhat overrated.

雖然一些科學(xué)家稱(chēng)贊鏡像神經(jīng)元是“文明的基礎(chǔ)”，但也有人認(rèn)為鏡像神經(jīng)元的作用可能被高估了。

There's little doubt, however, that the discovery of mirror neurons represented a shift in our understanding of how we communicate.

然而，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，鏡像神經(jīng)元的發(fā)現(xiàn)代表了我們對(duì)溝通方式理解的轉(zhuǎn)變。

But mirror neurons suggest we can understand a person's inner thought processes on a biological level. We don't consciously deduce their state of mind. We feel them. And we simulate them.

但鏡像神經(jīng)元表明，我們可以從生物學(xué)的角度理解一個(gè)人的內(nèi)在思維過(guò)程。我們不會(huì)有意識(shí)地推斷他們的心理狀態(tài)。我們感覺(jué)他們。我們模擬他們。

"Mirror neurons are the only brain cells we know of that seem specialized to code the actions of other people and also our own actions," Iacoboni explained in Scientific American. "They are obviously essential brain cells for social interactions. Without them, we would likely be blind to the actions, intentions and emotions of other people."

Iacoboni在《科學(xué)美國(guó)人》上解釋說(shuō):“鏡像神經(jīng)元是我們所知的唯一一種似乎專(zhuān)門(mén)編碼他人和我們自己行為的腦細(xì)胞。”“它們顯然是社交活動(dòng)中必不可少的腦細(xì)胞。沒(méi)有他們，我們很可能對(duì)他人的行為、意圖和情緒視而不見(jiàn)。”

And not just people. Our mirror neurons may extend also to animals. Maybe that accounts for why some people can't drive past an injured animal on the road — even after countless people already did?

不僅僅是人。我們的鏡像神經(jīng)元也可以延伸到動(dòng)物身上。也許這就是為什么有些人不能在路上開(kāi)車(chē)超過(guò)受傷的動(dòng)物——即使已經(jīng)有無(wú)數(shù)人這么做了。

But there's a flip side. What happens when the mirror neuron system is on the fritz? Research suggests there's a link between autism and misfiring neurons. A 2005 study from the University of California, San Diego, for example, looked at 10 people with autism. The researchers noted their mirror neurons didn't function in a typical way but rather responded only to what they did themselves, rather than to the actions of others.

但也有另一面。當(dāng)鏡像神經(jīng)元系統(tǒng)出故障時(shí)會(huì)發(fā)生什么?研究表明自閉癥和神經(jīng)元的失活有聯(lián)系。例如，加州大學(xué)圣地亞哥分校(University of California, San Diego) 2005年的一項(xiàng)研究觀察了10名自閉癥患者。研究人員注意到，他們的鏡像神經(jīng)元并不以一種典型的方式運(yùn)作，而是只對(duì)他們自己做的事情做出反應(yīng)，而不是對(duì)其他人的行為做出反應(yīng)。

But mirror neurons may serve a purpose far beyond empathy. They may also be key to learning a language or skill. As any teacher will tell you, a language can't strictly be taught from a textbook. It has to be heard and absorbed and mirrored.

但是鏡像神經(jīng)元的作用可能遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超出了移情作用。他們也可能是學(xué)習(xí)語(yǔ)言或技能的關(guān)鍵。正如任何老師都會(huì)告訴你的那樣，一門(mén)語(yǔ)言不能?chē)?yán)格地從課本上教授。它必須被傾聽(tīng)、吸收和反映。

The same goes for learning to play guitar. Let the instructor play for you.

學(xué)習(xí)吉他也是如此。讓教練為你演奏。

And, as your mom might remind you, the same may be said for a smile. If you send one out there, you'll get one back.

而且，就像你媽媽提醒你的那樣，微笑也是如此。如果你送一個(gè)出去，你會(huì)得到一個(gè)回來(lái)。

Good vibrations, indeed.

確實(shí)是良好的循環(huán)。