Adaptive Function and Brain Evolution

251.3K

views

64

authors

20

articles

Adaptive Function and Brain Evolution

251.3K

views

64

authors

20

articles

Editors

4

Agustín González

Complutense University of Madrid

Fernando Martinez-Garcia

University of Jaume I

Impact

About

The brain of each animal shows specific traits that reflect its phylogenetic history and its particular lifestyle. Therefore, comparing brains is not just a mere intellectual exercise, but it helps understanding how the brain allows adaptive behavioral strategies to face an ever-changing world and how this complex organ has evolved during phylogeny, giving rise to complex mental processes in humans and other animals. These questions attracted scientists since the times of Santiago Ramon y Cajal one of the founders of comparative neurobiology. In the last decade, this discipline has undergone a true revolution due to the analysis of expression patterns of morphogenetic genes in embryos of different animals.
The title of the Research Topic, Adaptive Function and Brain Evolution, stresses the importance of comparative studies to understand brain function and, the reverse, of considering brain function to properly understand brain evolution. This issues should be taken into account when using animals in the research of mental function and dysfunction. The papers of this Research Topic are focused onto the following four Grand Questions of comparative neurobiology:

1) How are different brains built during ontogeny?;

2) What is the anatomical organization of mature brains and how can they be compared?;

3) How do brains work to accomplish their function of ensuring survival and, ultimately, reproductive success?;

4) How have brains evolved during phylogeny?.

Download ebook

PDF

EPUB

Share

Editors

Agustín González

Complutense University of Madrid

Fernando Martinez-Garcia

University of Jaume I

Impact

251,345 Total views

198,690 Article views

38,937 Article downloads

13,718 Topic views

Published In

Frontiers in Neuroanatomy

About Frontiers Research Topics

With their unique mixes of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author.

Suggest a topic