Bridging cells to cogni tion: evolutionary adaptations in cortical microcircuits and their ge netic correlates
Neurophysiologist Anna Galakhova investigated what biological properties make the human brain so special. Her rese arch looked at the relationship between brain cells, genetics and hum an cognition - the ability to think, learn and create.
The rese arch shows that human brains process information more efficiently tha n the brains of laboratory animals such as mice, which are often used in scientific research. According to Galakhova, this is due to evolu tionary adaptations in the cerebral cortex, the cortex. Changes in in dividual brain cells allow the human brain to handle more complex tas ks, such as drawing, composing music and thinking abstractly.
T he differences are not only in the properties of individual cells, bu t also in how brain circuits are built and which genes are active in those cells. Because of this combination of cellular and genetic adap tations, the human brain functions as a particularly efficient "compu ter."
The research findings may contribute to a better understa nding of how human intelligence originated and how brain disorders de velop. In addition, the research provides new insights for the develo pment of artificial intelligence and future neurological research.
Learn more about the dissertation
DESCRIPTION: Neurophysiologist Anna Galakhova investigated what biolog ical properties make the human brain so special. Her research looked at the relationship between brain cells, genetics and human cognition - the ability to think, learn and create. The research shows that hu man brains process information more efficiently than the brains of la boratory animals such as mice, which are often used in scientific res earch. According to Galakhova, this is due to evolutionary adaptation s in the cerebral cortex, the cortex. Changes in individual brain cel ls allow the human brain to handle more complex tasks, such as drawin g, composing music and thinking abstractly. The differences are not o nly in the properties of individual cells, but also in how brain circ uits are built and which genes are active in those cells. Because of this combination of cellular and genetic adaptations, the human brain functions as a particularly efficient "computer." The research findi ngs may contribute to a better understanding of how human intelligenc e originated and how brain disorders develop. In addition, the resear ch provides new insights for the development of artificial intelligen ce and future neurological research. Learn more about the dissert ation Bridging cells to cognition: evolutionary adaptations in co rtical microcircuits and their genetic correlates END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR