Corticalization
Kortikalisierung (more rarely Kortikalisation ) called evolutionarily the interconnection of brain functions subcortical centers to the cerebral cortex ( Latin cortex ) and their gradual shift in the cerebral cortex. The corresponding structural changes in the brain consist in the formation of developmentally younger core and cortical areas (cortical cortex) and in the formation of nerve pathways between the subcortical centers and the cerebrum.
The term cerebralization , on the other hand, refers to the evolution of the entire brain. The evolutionary formation of a large brain, and in particular a large, differentiated cortex, is a dominant characteristic of humans .
Structural changes in the brain
Similar changes in subcortical structures also took place in the cerebellum . Thus, the cerebellum has a medial zone which mainly subcortical afferent and efferent is connected webs, and a side ( lateral ) region ( Pontocerebellum ), which is primarily tied to the cortex. In humans, the lateral zone takes up a much larger part of the cerebellum than in most other mammalian species.
The term corticalization refers to both brain structures and brain functions. Corticalization means that loss of significant parts of the cerebral brain is associated with greater damage to the individual. In the rat , surgical removal of the cortex results in an animal that is still able to roam and interact with the environment. In humans, a comparable cortex injury leads to a persistent coma . After a removal or lesion of the visual cortex, the rat is still able to recognize objects with the help of deeper centers; a monkey can still see shadows under these conditions, but humans are no longer able to see light.
If one compares the three variables growth in body size, growth in brain size and corticalization between less developed species such as cats or rats and complex mammals such as chimpanzees or humans, the difference in corticalization is greatest.
Corticalization and Intelligence
From a developmental point of view , the corticalization at the transition from Australopithecus to Homo sapiens about 3.5 to 2 million years ago was probably more pronounced than the increase in brain volume. The extent of corticalization in the development to Homo sapiens is rated as more important than the increase in brain volume, since the pronounced intelligence of humans cannot be satisfactorily explained by the increase in brain size alone.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Uwe Henrik Peters : Dictionary of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology . Urban & Schwarzenberg, Munich 1984, keyword “Corticalization”, p. 314.
- ↑ CH Vanderwolf, B. Kolb, RK Cooley: Behavior of the rat after removal of the neocortex and hippocampal formation . In: Journal of comparative and physiological psychology . tape 92 , no. 1 , February 1978, p. 156-175 (English).
- ^ Peter Gray: Psychology . 4th edition. 2002 (English).
- ↑ a b c David S. Webster, Ken Richardson: How Does Brain Size Matter? In: Psycoloquy . tape 10 , no. 30 , 1999, ISSN 1055-0143 , Brain Expertise, Article 5 (English, cogsci.ecs.soton.ac.uk ).