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Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
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Cognition without Cortex.

Onur Güntürkün1, Thomas Bugnyar2

  • 1Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany.

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|March 6, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Birds possess advanced cognitive abilities comparable to primates, despite lacking a cortex. This suggests that complex cognition can evolve through different neural structures, highlighting convergent evolution in the brain.

Keywords:
birdscognitive skillsevolutionpalliumprefrontal cortex

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Comparative Cognition
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Cognitive abilities are often assumed to depend on cortical structures.
  • Birds, particularly parrots and corvids, exhibit cognitive skills rivaling those of primates.
  • Avian and mammalian forebrains show homology, with similar connectivity and cellular function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural basis of advanced cognition in birds.
  • To challenge the assumption that a cortex is necessary for complex cognitive skills.
  • To explore convergent evolution of neural mechanisms for cognition.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative neuroanatomy of avian and mammalian forebrains.
  • Analysis of cognitive performance in birds and primates.
  • Examination of neural connectivity and cellular function.

Main Results:

  • Avian cognitive skills are on par with primates, despite the absence of a cortex in birds.
  • Avian and mammalian forebrains demonstrate homology, sharing similarities in structure and function.
  • A distinct cortical architecture is not a prerequisite for advanced cognitive functions.

Conclusions:

  • Advanced cognitive skills can arise from non-cortical neural architectures.
  • Convergent evolution has led to similar cognitive mechanisms in birds and mammals through different forebrain organizations.
  • The pallium in birds supports complex cognition, challenging traditional views focused solely on cortical structures.