<s>
The	O
sensorimotor	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
,	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
,	O
comb	O
or	O
wicket	O
rhythms	O
or	O
arciform	O
rhythms	O
,	O
are	O
synchronized	B-Algorithm
patterns	I-Algorithm
of	O
electrical	O
activity	O
involving	O
large	O
numbers	O
of	O
neurons	O
,	O
probably	O
of	O
the	O
pyramidal	O
type	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
brain	O
that	O
controls	O
voluntary	O
movement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
patterns	O
as	O
measured	O
by	O
electroencephalography	B-Application
(	O
EEG	B-Application
)	O
,	O
magnetoencephalography	B-Algorithm
(	O
MEG	O
)	O
,	O
or	O
electrocorticography	O
(	O
ECoG	O
)	O
,	O
repeat	O
at	O
a	O
frequency	O
of	O
7.5	O
–	O
12.5	O
(	O
and	O
primarily	O
9	O
–	O
11	O
)	O
Hz	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
most	O
prominent	O
when	O
the	O
body	O
is	O
physically	O
at	O
rest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
the	O
alpha	O
wave	O
,	O
which	O
occurs	O
at	O
a	O
similar	O
frequency	O
over	O
the	O
resting	O
visual	O
cortex	O
at	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
scalp	O
,	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
is	O
found	O
over	O
the	O
motor	O
cortex	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
band	O
approximately	O
from	O
ear	O
to	O
ear	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
People	O
suppress	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythms	I-Algorithm
when	O
they	O
perform	O
motor	O
actions	O
or	O
,	O
with	O
practice	O
,	O
when	O
they	O
visualize	O
performing	O
motor	O
actions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
suppression	O
is	O
called	O
desynchronization	O
of	O
the	O
wave	O
because	O
EEG	B-Application
wave	O
forms	O
are	O
caused	O
by	O
large	O
numbers	O
of	O
neurons	O
firing	O
in	O
synchrony	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
is	O
even	O
suppressed	O
when	O
one	O
observes	O
another	O
person	O
performing	O
a	O
motor	O
action	O
or	O
an	O
abstract	O
motion	O
with	O
biological	O
characteristics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Researchers	O
such	O
as	O
V	O
.	O
S	O
.	O
Ramachandran	O
and	O
colleagues	O
have	O
suggested	O
that	O
this	O
is	O
a	O
sign	O
that	O
the	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
system	O
is	O
involved	O
in	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
suppression	O
,	O
although	O
others	O
disagree	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
is	O
of	O
interest	O
to	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
scholars	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scientists	O
who	O
study	O
neural	O
development	O
are	O
interested	O
in	O
the	O
details	O
of	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
in	O
infancy	O
and	O
childhood	O
and	O
its	O
role	O
in	O
learning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
researchers	O
believe	O
that	O
autism	O
spectrum	O
disorder	O
(	O
ASD	O
)	O
is	O
strongly	O
influenced	O
by	O
an	O
altered	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
system	O
and	O
that	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythm	I-Algorithm
suppression	O
is	O
a	O
downstream	O
indication	O
of	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
activity	O
,	O
many	O
of	O
these	O
scientists	O
have	O
kindled	O
a	O
more	O
popular	O
interest	O
in	O
investigating	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
in	O
people	O
with	O
ASD	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Assorted	O
investigators	O
are	O
also	O
in	O
the	O
process	O
of	O
using	O
mu	B-Algorithm
rhythms	I-Algorithm
to	O
develop	O
a	O
new	O
technology	O
:	O
the	O
brain	B-Application
–	I-Application
computer	I-Application
interface	I-Application
(	O
BCI	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
are	O
suppressed	O
when	O
these	O
neurons	O
fire	O
,	O
a	O
phenomenon	O
which	O
allows	O
researchers	O
to	O
study	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
activity	O
in	O
humans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
researchers	O
believe	O
that	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
suppression	O
can	O
be	O
a	O
consequence	O
of	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
activity	O
throughout	O
the	O
brain	O
,	O
and	O
represents	O
a	O
higher-level	O
integrative	O
processing	O
of	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
activity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tests	O
in	O
both	O
monkeys	O
(	O
using	O
invasive	O
measuring	O
techniques	O
)	O
and	O
humans	O
(	O
using	O
EEG	B-Application
and	O
fMRI	B-Algorithm
)	O
have	O
found	O
that	O
these	O
mirror	O
neurons	O
not	O
only	O
fire	O
during	O
basic	O
motor	O
tasks	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
have	O
components	O
that	O
deal	O
with	O
intention	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
evidence	O
of	O
an	O
important	O
role	O
for	O
mirror	O
neurons	O
in	O
humans	O
,	O
and	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
may	O
represent	O
a	O
high	O
level	O
coordination	O
of	O
those	O
mirror	O
neurons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
fruitful	O
conceptualization	O
of	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
in	O
pediatric	O
use	O
is	O
that	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
suppression	O
is	O
a	O
representation	O
of	O
activity	O
going	O
on	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
detectable	O
in	O
the	O
frontal	O
and	O
parietal	O
networks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
resting	O
oscillation	O
becomes	O
suppressed	O
during	O
the	O
observation	O
of	O
sensory	O
information	O
such	O
as	O
sounds	O
or	O
sights	O
,	O
usually	O
within	O
the	O
frontoparietal	B-General_Concept
(	O
motor	O
)	O
cortical	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
is	O
detectable	O
during	O
infancy	O
as	O
early	O
as	O
four	O
to	O
six	O
months	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
peak	O
frequency	O
the	O
wave	O
reaches	O
can	O
be	O
as	O
low	O
as	O
5.4	O
Hz	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
peak	O
frequency	O
of	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
increases	O
with	O
age	O
until	O
maturation	O
into	O
adulthood	O
,	O
when	O
it	O
reaches	O
its	O
final	O
and	O
stable	O
frequency	O
of	O
8	O
–	O
13Hz	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
are	O
thought	O
to	O
be	O
indicative	O
of	O
an	O
infant	O
’s	O
developing	O
ability	O
to	O
imitate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
action	O
execution	O
,	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
are	O
present	O
in	O
both	O
infants	O
and	O
adults	O
before	O
and	O
after	O
the	O
execution	O
of	O
a	O
motor	O
task	O
and	O
its	O
accompanying	O
desynchronization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Just	O
as	O
with	O
an	O
action	O
execution	O
,	O
during	O
action	O
observation	O
infants’	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
not	O
only	O
show	O
a	O
desynchronization	O
,	O
but	O
show	O
a	O
desynchronization	O
greater	O
in	O
degree	O
than	O
the	O
one	O
evidenced	O
in	O
adults	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
tendency	O
for	O
changes	O
in	O
degree	O
of	O
desynchronization	O
,	O
rather	O
than	O
actual	O
changes	O
in	O
frequency	O
,	O
becomes	O
the	O
measure	O
for	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
development	O
throughout	O
adulthood	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
most	O
changes	O
take	O
place	O
during	O
the	O
first	O
year	O
of	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
single	O
cause	O
of	O
autism	O
has	O
yet	O
to	O
be	O
identified	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
and	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
system	O
have	O
been	O
studied	O
specifically	O
for	O
their	O
role	O
in	O
the	O
disorder	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
individuals	O
with	O
autism	O
,	O
mirror	O
neurons	O
become	O
active	O
(	O
and	O
consequently	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
are	O
suppressed	O
)	O
only	O
when	O
the	O
individual	O
performs	O
the	O
task	O
themself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
most	O
studies	O
of	O
the	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
system	O
and	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
in	O
people	O
with	O
autism	O
have	O
focused	O
on	O
simple	O
motor	O
tasks	O
,	O
some	O
scientists	O
speculate	O
that	O
these	O
tests	O
can	O
be	O
expanded	O
to	O
show	O
that	O
problems	O
with	O
the	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
system	O
underlie	O
overarching	O
cognitive	O
and	O
social	O
deficits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
fMRI	B-Algorithm
activation	O
magnitudes	O
in	O
the	O
inferior	O
frontal	O
gyrus	O
increase	O
with	O
age	O
in	O
people	O
with	O
autism	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
in	O
typically	O
developing	O
individuals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
information	O
is	O
significant	O
to	O
the	O
present	O
discussion	O
because	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
may	O
be	O
integrating	O
different	O
areas	O
of	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
activity	O
in	O
the	O
brain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
studies	O
have	O
assessed	O
attempts	O
to	O
consciously	O
stimulate	O
the	O
mirror	O
neuron	O
system	O
and	O
suppress	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
using	O
neurofeedback	B-Application
(	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
biofeedback	O
given	O
through	O
computers	O
that	O
analyze	O
real	O
time	O
recordings	O
of	O
brain	B-Application
activity	I-Application
,	O
in	O
this	O
case	O
EEGs	B-Application
of	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brain	B-Application
–	I-Application
computer	I-Application
interfaces	I-Application
(	O
BCIs	O
)	O
are	O
a	O
developing	O
technology	O
that	O
clinicians	O
hope	O
will	O
one	O
day	O
bring	O
more	O
independence	O
and	O
agency	O
to	O
the	O
severely	O
physically	O
disabled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
type	O
of	O
BCI	O
uses	O
event-related	O
desynchronization	O
(	O
ERD	O
)	O
of	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
in	O
order	O
to	O
control	O
the	O
computer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
method	O
of	O
monitoring	O
brain	B-Application
activity	I-Application
takes	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
when	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
neurons	O
is	O
at	O
rest	O
they	O
tend	O
to	O
fire	O
in	O
synchrony	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Users	O
of	O
such	O
an	O
interface	O
are	O
trained	O
in	O
visualizing	O
movements	O
,	O
typically	O
of	O
the	O
foot	O
,	O
hand	O
,	O
and/or	O
tongue	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
each	O
in	O
different	O
locations	O
on	O
the	O
cortical	O
homunculus	O
and	O
thus	O
distinguishable	O
by	O
an	O
electroencephalograph	B-Application
(	O
EEG	B-Application
)	O
or	O
electrocorticograph	O
(	O
ECoG	O
)	O
recording	O
of	O
electrical	O
activity	O
over	O
the	O
motor	O
cortex	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
this	O
method	O
,	O
computers	O
monitor	O
for	O
a	O
typical	O
pattern	O
of	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
ERD	O
contralateral	O
to	O
the	O
visualized	O
movement	O
combined	O
with	O
event-related	O
synchronization	O
(	O
ERS	O
)	O
in	O
the	O
surrounding	O
tissue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
paired	O
pattern	O
intensifies	O
with	O
training	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
training	O
increasingly	O
takes	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
games	O
,	O
some	O
of	O
which	O
utilize	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
researchers	O
have	O
found	O
that	O
the	O
feedback	O
from	O
virtual	B-Application
reality	I-Application
games	O
is	O
particularly	O
effective	O
in	O
giving	O
the	O
user	O
tools	O
to	O
improve	O
control	O
of	O
his	O
or	O
her	O
mu	B-Algorithm
wave	I-Algorithm
patterns	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
have	O
been	O
studied	O
since	O
the	O
1930s	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
the	O
wicket	O
rhythm	O
because	O
the	O
rounded	O
EEG	B-Application
waves	O
resemble	O
croquet	O
wickets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
studies	O
have	O
shown	O
that	O
the	O
mu	B-Algorithm
waves	I-Algorithm
can	O
also	O
be	O
desynchronized	O
by	O
imagining	O
actions	O
and	O
by	O
passively	O
viewing	O
point-light	O
biological	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
