Evolutionary neuroscience
Encyclopedia
Evolutionary neuroscience is an interdisciplinary scientific research
field that studies the evolution of nervous systems
. Evolutionary neuroscientists attempt to understand the evolution
and natural history
of nervous system
structure and function. The field draws on concepts and findings from both neuroscience
and evolutionary biology. Historically, most empirical work has been in the area of comparative
neuroanatomy
, and modern studies often make use of phylogenetic comparative methods
. Selection experiments and experimental evolution
approaches are also being used more frequently.
Conceptually and theoretically, the field is related to fields as diverse as comparative psychology
, neuroethology
, developmental neurobiology, evo-devo, behavioral ecology
, anthropology
and evolutionary psychology
.
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
field that studies the evolution of nervous systems
Evolution of nervous systems
The evolution of nervous systems dates back to the first development of nervous systems in animals . Neurons developed as specialized electrical signaling cells in multicellular animals, adapting the mechanism of action potentials present in motile single-celled and colonial eukaryotes...
. Evolutionary neuroscientists attempt to understand the evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
and natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
of nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
structure and function. The field draws on concepts and findings from both neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
and evolutionary biology. Historically, most empirical work has been in the area of comparative
Comparative biology
Comparative biology is a multidisciplinary approach to understanding organismic diversity that uses natural variation and disparity to elucidate phylogenetic history. Comparative biologists attempt to understand the diversity and complexity of life at all levels—from genes, to anatomy, to...
neuroanatomy
Neuroanatomy
Neuroanatomy is the study of the anatomy and organization of the nervous system. In contrast to animals with radial symmetry, whose nervous system consists of a distributed network of cells, animals with bilateral symmetry have segregated, defined nervous systems, and thus we can begin to speak of...
, and modern studies often make use of phylogenetic comparative methods
Phylogenetic comparative methods
Phylogenetic comparative methods use information on the evolutionary relationships of organisms to compare species...
. Selection experiments and experimental evolution
Experimental evolution
In evolutionary and experimental biology, the field of experimental evolution is concerned with testing hypotheses and theories of evolution by use of controlled experiments. Evolution may be observed in the laboratory as populations adapt to new environmental conditions and/or change by such...
approaches are also being used more frequently.
Conceptually and theoretically, the field is related to fields as diverse as comparative psychology
Comparative psychology
Comparative psychology generally refers to the scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals. However, scientists from different disciplines do not always agree on this definition...
, neuroethology
Neuroethology
Neuroethology is the evolutionary and comparative approach to the study of animal behavior and its underlying mechanistic control by the nervous system...
, developmental neurobiology, evo-devo, behavioral ecology
Behavioral ecology
Behavioral ecology, or ethoecology, is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior, and the roles of behavior in enabling an animal to adapt to its environment...
, anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
and evolutionary psychology
Evolutionary psychology
Evolutionary psychology is an approach in the social and natural sciences that examines psychological traits such as memory, perception, and language from a modern evolutionary perspective. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations, that is, the functional...
.
History
The field began after the publication of Darwin's On the Origin of Species, but brain evolution was largely viewed at the time in relation to the incorrect scala naturae. The 1936 book The Comparative Anatomy of the Nervous System of Vertebrates was a landmark publication in the field. Following the Evolutionary Synthesis, the study of comparative neuroanatomy was conducted with an evolutionary view, and modern studies incorporate developmental genetics.See also
- Evolutionary physiologyEvolutionary physiologyEvolutionary physiology is the study of physiological evolution, which is to say, the manner in which the functional characteristics of individuals in a population of organisms have responded to selection across multiple generations during the history of the population.It is a subdiscipline of both...
- Evolutionary psychologyEvolutionary psychologyEvolutionary psychology is an approach in the social and natural sciences that examines psychological traits such as memory, perception, and language from a modern evolutionary perspective. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations, that is, the functional...
- NeuroethologyNeuroethologyNeuroethology is the evolutionary and comparative approach to the study of animal behavior and its underlying mechanistic control by the nervous system...
External links
- Brain Behavior and Evolution - (Journal)
- "Comparative Vertebrate Neuroanatomy: Evolution and Adaptation" - Ann B. Butler, William Hodos
- Sinauer.com - Principles of Brain Evolution Georg F. StriedterGeorg F. StriedterGeorg F. Striedter is an American scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine. He is the author of more than 30 papers in evolutionary neuroscience and the author of...
, University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, IrvineThe University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
' (book review, 2004)