The neurocognitive mechanisms of imitation

• Does the mirror neuron system provide a single, dedicated imitation mechanism?
• Imitation requires general visuomotor stream plus top-down control.
• This model can account for social and object-learning imitation.

Imitation is a complex behaviour built on many different cognitive components. This review examines whether the mirror system provides a unitary brain system, dedicated to imitation. The data suggests we can distinguish a visuomotor stream which permits both imitation and other visual-to-motor transformations, and also a top-down control mechanism. Working together, these systems permit both social and object-learning imitation to allow flexible human social behaviour.