Evaluation of mirror neuron activity in terms of MU rhythm in EEG signals according to motor skill acquisition levels

Aim: This study aims to examine the changes in mirror neuron activity among individuals with different motor skill levels and to contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies in sports training by better understanding the neural foundations of skill acquisition Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental design. Participants were selected from volleyball athletes and grouped according to Fitts and Posner's Motor Learning Model. During the experimental procedure, each athlete was presented with four different video scenarios while EEG recordings were collected. The mu rhythm (8–13 Hz), considered an indicator of mirror neuron activity, was analyzed from the C3, Cz, and C4 regions. Band power calculations were performed using BrainVision Analyzer, and differences between groups and task types were statistically compared using the SPSS 27 software package. Results: According to the analysis results, task type and group level were found to have significant effects across all channels (p < 0.05). While task, group, and their interactions were significant in C3 and Cz, only task and group effects were significant in C4. These findings reveal that both motor skill level and task type influence mirror neuron activity. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the effectiveness of the mirror neuron system varies according to learning stages and task difficulty levels in individuals with different motor skill levels. The findings indicated that, particularly in difficult motor tasks, mu rhythm suppression is associated with stronger sensorimotor activation, whereas activation remains limited under moderate familiarity. Moreover, both novel stimuli and highly familiar stimuli were found to strongly activate the system; this activation is thought to be associated with the effort of interpretation during the early stages of learning and with automatic mental simulation processes in the later stages. Keywords: Mirror Neuron System, electroencephalography, observational learning, motor learning, Mu rhythm