Why birds are smart

Trends Cogn Sci. 2023 Dec 13:S1364-6613(23)00281-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.11.002. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMany cognitive neuroscientists believe that both a large brain and an isocortex are crucial for complex cognition. Yet corvids and parrots possess non-cortical brains of just 1-25 g, and these birds exhibit cognitive abilities comparable with those of great apes such as chimpanzees, which have brains of about 400 g. This opinion explores how this cognitive equivalence is possible. We propose four features that may be required for complex cognition: a large number of associative pallial neurons, a prefrontal cortex (PFC)-like area, a dense dopaminergic innervation of association areas, and dynamic neurophysiological fundaments for working memory. These four neural features have convergently evolved and may therefore represent 'hard to replace' mechanisms enabling complex cognition.PMID:38097447 | DOI:10.1016/j.tics.2023.11.002

Source: Trends Cogn Sci - December 14, 2023 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Onur G üntürkün Roland Pusch Jonas Rose Source Type: research