Mirror Neurons and Autism

• Ramachandran and Oberman proposed the 'broken mirror' theory of ASD.
• According to the 'broken mirror' theory, dysfunctions in the mirror neuron system prevents a developing child imitating and consequently understanding social behaviours in others.
• This explains why children with ASD typically mimic adult behaviour less than others.
• Later in life, these problems with the mirror neuron system lead to difficulties in reading intention and emotion in others, therefore leading to issues with social cognition.