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Evolution of Cognitive Brains: Mammals

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Evolution of the Brain, Cognition, and Emotion in Vertebrates

Part of the book series: Brain Science ((BRASC))

Abstract

In mammals, detailed information about higher cognitive abilities or “intelligence” is restricted to representatives of rodents, artiodactyls, carnivores, cetaceans, elephants, and primates. Tool use as well as “technical” problem-solving is present in most species of these taxa. In string-pulling experiments, apes, monkeys, dogs, and elephants were successful but with no sign of insight into mechanisms. Mirror use is demonstrated in apes, monkeys, and pigs, while mirror self-recognition is found only in the great apes, magpies, and possibly dolphins and elephants. Gaze following is documented in primates, dogs, and wolves. Metacognition was demonstrated in apes, macaques, dolphins, and rats. Finally, signs of a theory of mind are found in chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys and questionable in dogs and wolves. Neither absolute nor relative brain size (uncorrected or corrected for body size) are good predictors for higher cognitive abilities. The number of cortical neurons appears to be a better predictor of intelligence but does not solve the paradox of elephants and cetaceans, which have at least several billion cortical neurons like the great apes, while being less intelligent. The best fit is obtained, when parameters that directly determine neuronal information processing capacity, i.e., cortical interneuronal distance and axonal conduction velocity, are also taken into account. Here, primates excel, followed by carnivores, while the large-brained elephants and cetaceans perform poorly.

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Acknowledgment

We thank Prof. Suzanna Herculano-Houzel, Rio de Janeiro, for the helpful suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bremen, Brain Research Institute, D-28334, Bremen, Germany

    Gerhard Roth & Ursula Dicke

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  1. Gerhard Roth
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  2. Ursula Dicke
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Correspondence to Gerhard Roth .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Keio University, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Shigeru Watanabe

  2. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam Zuidoost, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands

    Michel A Hofman

  3. Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Toru Shimizu

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Roth, G., Dicke, U. (2017). Evolution of Cognitive Brains: Mammals. In: Watanabe, S., Hofman, M., Shimizu, T. (eds) Evolution of the Brain, Cognition, and Emotion in Vertebrates. Brain Science. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56559-8_6

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