Dinstein I, Thomas C, Humphreys K, Minshew N, Behrmann M, Heeger DJ. Normal movement selectivity in autism, Neuron, 66:461-469, 2010.
Abstract: It has been proposed that individuals with autism have difÞculties understanding the goals and intentions of others because of a fundamental dysfunction in the mirror neuron system. Here, however, we show that individuals with autism exhibited not only normal fMRI responses in mirror system areas during observation and execution of hand movements but also exhibited typical movement-selective adaptation (repetition suppression) when observing or executing the same movement repeatedly. Movement selectivity is a deÞning characteristic of neurons involved in movement perception, including mirror neurons, and, as such, these Þndings argue against a mirror system dysfunction in autism.