Department of Psychology, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Laboratory of Evolutionary and Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Lleida, Lleida Institute for Biomedical Research Dr. Pifarré Foundation (IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019 Dec;107:296-312. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.021. Epub 2019 Sep 18.
Cognition is considered a hallmark of the primate brain that requires a high degree of signal integration, such as achieved in the prefrontal cortex. Moreover, it is often assumed that cognitive capabilities imply "superior" computational mechanisms compared to those involved in emotion or motivation. In contrast to these ideas, we review data on the neural architecture across vertebrates that support the concept that association and integration are basic features of the vertebrate brain, which are needed to successfully adapt to a changing world. This property is not restricted to a few isolated brain centers, but rather resides in neuronal networks working collectively in a context-dependent manner. In different vertebrates, we identify shared large-scale connectional systems involving the midbrain, hypothalamus, thalamus, basal ganglia, and amygdala. The high degree of crosstalk and association between these systems at different levels supports the notion that cognition, emotion, and motivation cannot be separated - all of them involve a high degree of signal integration.
认知被认为是灵长类大脑的标志，需要高度的信号整合，如在前额叶皮层中实现。此外，人们通常假设认知能力意味着与情感或动机相比，“更优越”的计算机制。与这些观点相反，我们回顾了跨脊椎动物的神经结构数据，这些数据支持这样的概念，即联想和整合是脊椎动物大脑的基本特征，这是成功适应不断变化的世界所必需的。这种特性不仅局限于少数几个孤立的大脑中心，而是存在于以依赖上下文的方式集体工作的神经元网络中。在不同的脊椎动物中，我们确定了涉及中脑、下丘脑、丘脑、基底神经节和杏仁核的共享大规模连接系统。这些系统在不同水平上的高度串扰和关联支持这样的观点，即认知、情感和动机不能分开——它们都涉及高度的信号整合。
