Journal
BIOLOGY LETTERS
Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 130-133Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0621
Keywords
brain evolution; cognitive ecology; life history; neurobiology
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Why have some animals evolved large brains despite substantial energetic and developmental costs? A classic answer is that a large brain facilitates the construction of behavioural responses to unusual, novel or complex socioecological challenges. This buffer effect should increase survival rates and favour a longer reproductive life, thereby compensating for the costs of delayed reproduction. Although still limited, evidence in birds and mammals is accumulating that a large brain facilitates the construction of novel and altered behavioural patterns and that this ability helps dealing with new ecological challenges more successfully, supporting the cognitive-buffer interpretation of the evolution of large brains.
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