On the Role of Mirror Neurons in the Sense of Self

Abstract

Although great progress has been made in the identification of the neural systems involved in the sense of self, very little is known about the mechanisms by which these systems give rise to this experience. This paper is an attempt to address this gap and proposes a model suggesting that the self-experience is sustained by two “mirror neuron systems” involved in the simulation of the self-face and the self-voice, both of which are implicated in self-recognition and self-concept. The proposed model is not intended to be exhaustive or complete but, rather, serves as a guiding framework that future research can test and expand upon.