Mehlhorn Julia, Rehkämper Gerd
C. and O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research; University of Düsseldorf; Düsseldorf, Germany.
Commun Integr Biol. 2010 Nov;3(6):592-3. doi: 10.4161/cib.3.6.13219. Epub 2010 Nov 1.
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.
归巢鸽的大脑似乎在功能上适应了归巢，例如拥有更大的海马体和嗅球。此外，归巢鸽也存在功能侧化现象。最近，关于导航经验对大脑组成和侧化影响的研究表明，与没有导航经验的归巢鸽相比，有导航经验的归巢鸽海马体更大。此外，归巢鸽的几个脑结构存在体积侧化现象，有导航经验的归巢鸽比没有导航经验的鸽子大脑侧化程度更高。这总体上为定向和大脑发育的神经元基础提供了更多见解，但也证明了其复杂性。可塑性和侧化与个体生活史的相关性比迄今为止所认为的要强得多，在进化的比较研究中必须更多地加以考虑。
