Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Anatomically Inspired Three-dimensional Micro-tissue Engineered Neural Networks for Nervous System Reconstruction, Modulation, and Modeling
Published on: May 31, 2017
Abstract concept learning in a simple neural network inspired by the insect brain
Alex J Cope1,2, Eleni Vasilaki1,2, Dorian Minors3
1Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Abstract:
The capacity to learn abstract concepts such as 'sameness' and 'difference' is considered a higher-order cognitive function, typically thought to be dependent on top-down neocortical processing. It is therefore surprising that honey bees apparantly have this capacity. Here we report a model of the structures of the honey bee brain that can learn sameness and difference, as well as a range of complex and simple associative learning tasks. Our model is constrained by the known connections and properties of the mushroom body, including the protocerebral tract, and provides a good fit to the learning rates and performances of real bees in all tasks, including learning sameness and difference. The model proposes a novel mechanism for learning the abstract concepts of 'sameness' and 'difference' that is compatible with the insect brain, and is not dependent on top-down or executive control processing.
Related Concept Videos
Osmoregulation in Insects
Radical Formation: Abstraction
Even though homolysis produces radicals, it is different from radical...
Self-Concept
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Mechanism of Breathing I: Inspiration
The respiratory system, an essential network for breathing, comprises the conducting and respiratory zones, each playing a crucial role in the overall process of respiration. Let us explore the detailed mechanism of inspiration, or inhalation, which is the first phase of the respiratory cycle.
Pathway of Air during Inspiration
During inspiration, air enters our body through the nose or mouth and moves through the conducting zone,...
Protein Networks
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...

