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Mehlhorn J, Rehkämper G. Homing pigeons as a model for the influence of experience on brain composition-including considerations on evolutionary theory. Commun Integr Biol. 2010;3(6):592-3doi: 10.4161/cib.3.6.13219.
Mehlhorn, J., & Rehkämper, G. (2010). Homing pigeons as a model for the influence of experience on brain composition-including considerations on evolutionary theory. Communicative & integrative biology, 3(6), 592-3. https://doi.org/10.4161/cib.3.6.13219
Mehlhorn, Julia, and Rehkämper, Gerd. "Homing pigeons as a model for the influence of experience on brain composition-including considerations on evolutionary theory." Communicative & integrative biology vol. 3,6 (2010): 592-3. doi: https://doi.org/10.4161/cib.3.6.13219
Mehlhorn J, Rehkämper G. Homing pigeons as a model for the influence of experience on brain composition-including considerations on evolutionary theory. Commun Integr Biol. 2010 Nov;3(6):592-3. doi: 10.4161/cib.3.6.13219. Epub 2010 Nov 01. PMID: 21331249; PMCID: PMC3038073.
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Commun Integr Biol. 2010 Nov;3(6):592-3. doi: 10.4161/cib.3.6.13219. Epub 2010 Nov 01.

Homing pigeons as a model for the influence of experience on brain composition-including considerations on evolutionary theory.

Communicative & integrative biology

Julia Mehlhorn, Gerd Rehkämper

Affiliations

  1. C. and O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research; University of Düsseldorf; Düsseldorf, Germany.

PMID: 21331249 PMCID: PMC3038073 DOI: 10.4161/cib.3.6.13219

Abstract

The brain of homing pigeons seems to be functionally adapted to homing with e.g., larger hippocampi and olfactory bulbs. Furthermore, functional lateralization occurs as well in homing pigeons. Recently, the investigation of the influence of navigational experience on brain composition and lateralization revealed larger hippocampi in homing pigeons with navigational experience compared to inexperienced homing pigeons. Additionally, there are several brain structures in homing pigeons that show a volumetrical lateralization, whereas homing pigeons with navigational experience show a more lateralized brain than pigeons without navigational experience. This gives more insights in the neuronal basis of orientation and brain development in general but demonstrates as well its complexity. Plasticity and lateralization are much more correlated with individual life history than assumed up to date and have to be more considered in comparative research of evolution.

Keywords: brain; comparative neuroanatomy; evolutionary game theory; homing pigeon; lateralization; mosaic evolution; navigation

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