Researchers have found that brain evolution is not about layering logic over emotions, but about competition between types of connections, ScienceDaily reports. The popular concept of dividing the brain into a rational part and an ancient 'reptilian brain' responsible for instincts has been proven incorrect from an evolutionary biology standpoint. A new study by scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology, published in the journal Science Advances, shows that brain development occurs through the reallocation of limited space between two competing types of neural connections... reports the website infohub.kz.
The team, led by Nabil Imam, studied the brain structure of 182 animal species and analyzed the workings of artificial neural networks. They found that the regions of the limbic system, often called the emotional brain, develop in a coordinated manner: when one area grows, the entire limbic complex expands, while the neocortex, responsible for higher functions, proportionally shrinks.
The difference between the systems lies in their architecture, established before birth. The neocortex uses spatial maps, ideal for vision and hearing, while the limbic system operates on a distributed 'barcode' principle, necessary for smell and memory. When resources are scarce, the brain adapts its structure to the survival needs of the specific species. For example, in the nine-banded armadillo, the limbic system predominates, while in the squirrel monkey, the neocortex does. The authors note that using such innate neural architectures could lead to more efficient artificial intelligence systems that require significantly less energy and data for training.