I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL

By Chris Kearney, Abilene Psychiatric Center

“I know how you feel” has just gotten new meaning.  Why?  Because apparently we do. 

          In 1996 three neuroscientists probing the brain of a macaque monkey stumbled across a cluster of previously unnoticed and fairly odd cortex cells.  The cells “fired” not only when the monkey was performing an action, but when the monkey observed the action of other monkeys.  Because of this mirroring action, the neuroscientists named these cells “mirror cells.”  Later experiments on humans discovered the same phenomenon – only a step further.  It was found that these neurons not only reflected actions, but sensations and emotions as well. 

          The implications of this discovery are potentially enormous.  It suggests the reality of the physical nature of empathy – the ability to relate to others.  If these mirror cells help us “feel” like the other person, we actually can understand what another individual is experiencing.  That is, given the stimuli, we process the information the same.  As Marco Iacoboni, a neuroscientist at the University of California put it, “Mirror neurons suggest we pretend to be in another’s shoes.  In fact, we don’t have to pretend, we are in the other person’s shoes.”    From a practical standpoint, however, this is nothing new.  Everyone knows empathy exists; the discovery just pinpoints at least a part of the physical mechanism.

          The really amazing implications relate to mental health.  Later scientific studies have found that these mirror neurons don’t fire correctly in people with some mental disorders – particularly autism. 

          Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs), cause severe and pervasive impairment in thinking, feeling, language, and the ability to relate to others.  Commonly referred to as simply Autism, there are actually a range of autistics disorders – from a severe form called autistic disorder to a milder form called “Asperger Syndrome.”  However, all of ASD’s are characterized by some level of “detachment.” 

          Symptoms typically include 1) deficits in social interaction, 2) deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication, and 3) repetitive behaviors or interests.  In addition, there will often be unusual responses to sensory experiences, such as certain sounds or the way objects look.   ASD’s affect different people differently.  For instance, some people may have little trouble learning even the most complicated “stuff,” but have great difficulty learning how to interact socially.  In fact, many people with ASD demonstrate some heightened ability, typically in science, math, or the arts.  Think “Rain Man.”

          It seems that people are either born with ASD’s or they develop soon after birth.  In some cases, a baby seemed "different,” unresponsive to people or focusing intently on one item for long periods of time.  In others, symptoms appear in children who had been developing normally; such as an affectionate, babbling toddler who suddenly becomes silent, withdrawn, self-abusive, or indifferent socially.  Usually detected by age three, some kids have been diagnosed as early as 18 months.  The prevalence of ASDs is astounding, effecting more than one in every 500 people. 

            Autism is a growing worldwide concern, which is one reason why continuing research on mirror cells is so exciting.  One recent experiment showed that mirror neurons which are normally active during the observation of hand movements in non-autistic individuals are silent in those who have autism.  Is this a causal relationship?  Is it because these mirror neurons don’t fire that people that have autism?  Or is it that the autism is affecting the mirror cells?  The jury is still out,  but if it is discovered that mirror cells play a primary role in autistic symptoms and that alleviating some or all of the symptoms means fixing the cells, then we may be on to an extremely effective treatment for autism.  

          In the meantime, when someone (it will probably be your wife or child) claims that “You just don’t know how I feel,” give the person a wink and wry smile, then explain the phenomenon of mirror cells.

Chris Kearney is the Administrator of the Abilene Psychiatric Center.  Mental Health Matters is sponsored by the Mental Health Association, phone (325) 673-2300, e-mail mhaa@bitstreet.com.  Need help?  Call the Hope Line (325) 673-2300.