Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Closed-loop Neuro-robotic Experiments to Test Computational Properties of Neuronal Networks
Published on: March 2, 2015
The Unusual Effectiveness of Evolution in Systems Neuroscience
Arkarup Banerjee1, Steven M Phelps2, Justus M Kebschull3,4,5,6
1School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA abanerjee@cshl.edu.
None:
This perspective advocates for "evolutionary systems neuroscience" as a framework combining evolutionary biology with neural circuit analysis. Evolution creates natural circuit modifications that preserve essential functions while enabling new behaviors. Modern technologies now allow researchers to investigate causal connections from genes to circuits to behaviors with unprecedented precision. By studying both convergent and divergent evolution, we can uncover both broad computational principles and specific implementation mechanisms. Across diverse examples-from insect courtship to rodent communication-we explore how targeted circuit changes drive behavioral innovation without disrupting core functions. This framework may reveal "deep homologies" in neural mechanisms, similar to how evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) identified conserved genetic toolkits in morphological development. This evolutionary lens promises not just to reveal how brains work, but why they work the way they do-providing insights that extend beyond neuroscience to complex adaptive systems more broadly.
Related Concept Videos
The Evidence for Evolution
Evolutionary Psychology
Neuroplasticity
Propagation of Action Potentials
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...
What is Evolutionary History?
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...

