The brain is considered as the most complex part of the body, doesn’t matter if it is human brain or the brain of other creatures. But, one thing always keeps Neuroscientists in ambivalence since decades. what came first? bigger brain or larger brain region that controls behaviors. Now, scientists have found out the evolution of brain sizes.
To find out the answer, a research team from Cornell University made their studies on 58 different songbird species. From the experiment, they have noticed songbirds with the bigger brain have better evolution in controlling beak and mouth, and the area for the song. The Larger brain has more complex neural networks.
In a paper published in the journal of Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers described that all vertebrates have different brain sizes and composition that actually reflects their different abilities. Researchers also explained larger brain increases the capabilities of a creature. These findings will also help scientists to learn deeply about the human evolution.
Lead researcher and the psychology professor of Cornell University, Timothy DeVoogd said in a statement,“Most neuroscientists believe there is nothing special about the way that our brains have evolved, that what we need to do is understand the principles that underlie brain evolution in general, which is what this study involves. The way you build a bigger brain is not just making everything bigger but rather slowing down or lengthening late pieces of development”. he also explained that humans may have evolved bigger brains first, later enhanced brain regions to control specific abilities.
According to ScienceDaily, DeVoogd and his team studied on the brains of birds because it is easier to collect samples from different species and visualize the transition of evolution. Those 58 species of songbirds were from 20 different families. Along with brain sizes, researchers also examined 38 discrete areas of the brain.
However, in terms of human brain evolution, the fact is always controversial. The development of the human brain is also dependent on the intake of energy and oxygen. DeVoogd also added that changes in the diets of early humans helped facilitate overall human brain growth by supplying the needed calories and protein.
