Consciousness without cortex

Assumptions on the neural basis of cognition usually focus on cortical mecha- nisms. Birds have no cortex, but recent studies in parrots and corvids show that their cognitive skills are on par with primates. These cognitive !ndings are accompanied by neurobiological discoveries that reveal avian and mammalian forebrains are homologous, and show similarities in connectivity and function down to the cellular level. But because birds have a large pallium, but no cortex, a speci!c cortical architecture cannot be a requirement for advanced cognitive skills. During the long parallel evolution of mammals and birds, several neural mechanisms for cognition and complex behaviors may have converged despite an overall forebrain organization that is otherwise vastly different.

Güntürkün, O., & Bugnyar, T. (2016).

Preparation

Read the following in preparation for our class discussion

  • Rose, J. (2022). The avian brain. Current Biology, 32(20), R1076-R1079. [PDF]
  • Nieder, A. (2021). Consciousness without cortex. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 71, 69-76. [PDF]

Further Reading

Güntürkün, O., & Bugnyar, T. (2016). Cognition without cortex. Trends in cognitive sciences, 20(4), 291-303. [PDF]

Jarvis, E. D., Güntürkün, O., Bruce, L., Csillag, A., Karten, H., Kuenzel, W., … & Butler, A. B. (2005). Avian brains and a new understanding of vertebrate brain evolution. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 6(2), 151-159. [PDF]

Emery, N. J., & Clayton, N. S. (2005). Evolution of the avian brain and intelligence. Current Biology, 15(23), R946-R950. [PDF]