Brass, M.
Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
There is converging evidence that the observation of an action activates a corresponding motor representation in the observer. It has been argued that such ‘shared representations’ of perception and action are crucial for action understanding and mentalizing. Research on shared representations, however, has widely neglected the fundamental role of self-other distinction when simulating motor events and mental states. I will provide brain imaging evidence demonstrating that mentalizing and self-other distinction activate common brain circuits. Furthermore, I will present recent data relating deficits in the control of shared representations to autism spectrum condition. In summary, our research suggests a strong functional link between the control of shared representations and our ability to understand other people’s minds.