A mirror neuron is a neuron
that fires when an animal observes another animal performing a specific action
as if the first animal were performing the action itself. Researchers believe
that these neurons are essential in lower animals for learning new skills.
Their function in human beings is less clear. It's hypothesized mirror neurons
make it possible for us to make inferences about another person's mental state
and more importantly develop the capacity for empathy.
The Absence of Social Needs Research
Cleary more social needs research is urgently needed for an extremely disabling and costly (in terms of medical expense and lost work days) condition that has reached epidemic proportions. Most current socially oriented research occurring in Europe, where there is a widely agreed role for publicly (government) funded medical research. Unfortunately in the US the vast majority of depression research is funded by drug companies, who obviously have no profit incentive to investigate non-pharmaceutical approaches to depression. There is a small amount of government and foundation funding to investigate "non-medical" factors that can trigger or aggravate depression. However the competition for these non-corporate grants is fierce which translates into a dearth of good studies into the effect nutrition, exercise, emotional intimacy, prenatal influences, early poverty, job satisfaction and fulfillment of social needs in an individual's ability to regulate their mood.
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