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Last week, we were introduced to several new observations. One of those observations was that the neocortex was found only in mammals and in no other animals. We were shown a picture of our brain (with the identified neocortex) and then we were shown the frog brain (missing a recognizable neocortex). After being shown these observations we were asked, what is the behavioral difference between mammals and all other animals? To that, we have had many responses in the forum. Some are revealing that we are having difficulty finding behaviors that are entirely unique to mammals. However others, many others, have jumped on board behind the wiki definition of neocortex stating that the neocortex, “is involved in higher functions such as sensory perception, generation of motor commands, spatial reasoning, conscious thought and, language” and that therefore, it is these behaviors that separate mammals from all other animals. This is where the problem begins.

Just because the difference between mammals and all other animals appears to be in the existence of the neocortex, this should not imply that mammals (exclusively) are “capable of higher functions such as sensory perception, generation of motor commands, spatial reasoning, conscious thought and, language” and that all other animals are not. Let’s think carefully about what observations/behaviors we are looking at to come to this conclusion.

Perhaps this analogy has been carried too far. Perhaps we humans are being too self complimentary. Frogs do pretty well for themselves. They perform some if not most of the said neocortex behaviors. Reptiles may not have a distinctive 6-layer neocortical structure, but so what? That should not necessarily imply that they are not capable of performing complex behaviors. They could, for example, be performing complex behaviors in different areas of their brains. I guess what I am saying is that just because we have a neocortex and we have higher order thinking, we should not imply that the neocortex is the only structure capable of thinking.

I read an article in the science times about a bird (a godwit) that flew non-stop for 8 days from Alaska to New Zealand. Scientists are trying to study the brain to see how that can be possible. I guess I think there is just a lot more we have to learn before making too definitive cross mammal comparisons.

(see : http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/science/23migr.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=bird+flight&st=nyt&oref=slogin