Having a working memory is everythingThe core of cognitive ability, which is also an important function of the prefrontal cortex. Several studies, including brain injury, pharmacology, and neurophysiology, have shown that the caudal lateral nested cortex of birds is also involvedWorking memory in birds
The single-cell recording method was observed in the caudal lateral nested cortex similar to that in the mammalian prefrontal cortex".Delay activity(Prefrontal cortex neurons remain active during the time interval between the application of the external stimulus and the taking of follow-up actions).
Delayed activity has been observed in birds, implying that they do have working memory as the basis of cognitive ability. Not only a single neuron, but also a superposition of the cellular activity of multiple neuronsLocal electric field potential, also observedNeurophysiological activity in birds is similar to that of mammals
This evidence suggests that, despite the lack of a hierarchical structure like the neocortexCognitive activity in birds can also produce similar neurophysiological fingerprints as mammals
Research on working memory has focused on:Single-cell and localized brainarea, and the study of sleep and dreams can be found inWhole brain levelProvide evidence of cognitive abilities in birds.
In one of the items on the pigeonsREM sleepIn the experiment, the researchers used:Functional MRIThe pigeons' brain activity was scanned. They found that similar to humans, pigeons' brains were activated during REM sleepLimbic system and anterior motor brain regions, as wellVisual and multimodal cerebral cortexRegion.
Although it is not yet possible to reconstruct the content of the dream based on this brain activity, the researchers still speculate that the pigeons may have dreamed of avoiding obstacles during the flight. These evidences are prima facie indicationsCognitive processes in birds, like those in mammals, are closely related to extensive neural network activity
In addition to the similarities, the neurophysiological basis of cognition in birds is also very different from that of mammals. For example, sleep studies have shown thatBirds do not activate the hippocampus during sleep to consolidate memories like mammals do。Exactly how they maintain and extract long-term memories remains to be further studied.
Now we know about the brains of birdsNeuronal characteristics (high neuron density, cortical neurons, liaison neurons).and also know the similarities and differences between the evolutionary brains of birds and mammals (both have powerful functionsDopaminergic neuronsIt is also known that birds also have a core of cognitive abilityWorking memory
So, are these the reasons for the intelligence of birds? Or what kind of brain can develop intelligence? According to the research, it can basically be summarized into the following 4 points:
First of all,It's not that bigger heads are smarter。Inside the brainThe number and type of neurons and how they relate to each otherPerhaps even more so. Unlike mammals, birds are in the brainHigh density, large quantitiesThe cerebral cortical neurons and liaison neurons allow birds to develop intelligence in a limited brain size.
Secondly, it is peculiar to mammalsThe neocortex is not a necessary prerequisite for wisdom。The dorsal ventricular crest of birds and the neocortex of mammals are not evolutionarily different, and their physiological structures and information processing routes are also different. However, the dorsal ventricular crest, like the neocortex, is responsible for the processing of information including perception, motor and communication brain regions, making it possible for birds to develop intelligence.
Third, the bird's caudal lateral nest-like cortex has a denseDopaminergic neuronal connectionsand is involved in almost all cognitive processes. The caudal lateral nested cortex is functionally very similar to the mammalian prefrontal cortex and is responsible for integrating information, encoding abstract cognition, and coordinating actions. Since the two are not evolutionarily distinct, this may beConvergent evolutionresults. At the same time, it is also shown that aResembles the prefrontal cortexThe "control center" is extremely important for the development of complex cognitive abilities.
Finally, studies on working memory and sleep dreams in birds have shown that similar brain structures are lacking, albeit in absentiaThe neurophysiological fingerprint of avian cognition is very similar to that of mammals。This shows that in the process of generating wisdom,The mechanism of cooperation between neurons and neural networksThere may be intrinsic commonalities that are difficult to replace.
At this point, we take birds as an example to break the monopoly concept of "only mammals are intelligent".The number and type of neurons, brain structure, brain function, and neurophysiological activitydiscussed more possibilities of "smart brains". Of course, these are only the directions that are relatively rich in research at present, and there are other "potential stocks" waiting for human research and discovery.
Mammals are not the only intelligent creatures on Earth, and the study of bird brains will give us a different perspective. While asking why birds are so smart, humans are also exploring their own wisdom and boundaries, questioning and thinking about the nature of life, or "living beings".