The mirror neuron system (MNS) was first discovered in non-human primates; these neurons fire when a monkey performs an action or observes another monkey (or even some people) performing that same action. Recent findings have suggested that neural rehabilitation might be achieved through the activation of the MNS in patients after stroke. We propose two major mechanisms (one involving adult neurogenesis and another involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that may underlie the activation, modulation and expe-rience-dependent plasticity in the MNS, for further study on promoting central nerve functional reconstruc-tion and rehabilitation of patients with central nervous system injury.