The Evolution of Cognitive Flexibility.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Neuroscience News
A study by researchers at the Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil and Newcastle University has provided insights into the evolutionary origins of cognitive flexibility, an essential skill for adaptation and survival. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the brain functions of 40 participants while they were learning a sensorimotor task. The findings showed the importance of sensory brain regions in decision-making and surprising similarities between the brain activity of humans and mice during this task, suggesting that the interplay between the frontal brain and sensory brain regions for decision-making formed early in evolutionary development.