Humpback whales have "human" brain cells

Reuters ^ | 11/27/06

[TigerLikesRooster]

Humpback whales have "human" brain cells

Mon Nov 27, 1:40 AM ET

Humpback whales have a type of brain cell seen only in humans, the great apes, and other cetaceans such as dolphins, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

This might mean such whales are more intelligent than they have been given credit for, and suggests the basis for complex brains either evolved more than once, or has gone unused by most species of animals, the researchers said.

The finding may help explain some of the behaviours seen in whales, such as intricate communication skills, the formation of alliances, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage, the researchers report in The Anatomical Record.

Patrick Hof and Estel Van der Gucht of the Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York studied the brains of humpback whales and discovered a type of cell called a spindle neuron in the cortex, in areas comparable to where they are seen in humans and great apes.

Although the function of spindle neurons is not well understood, they may be involved in cognition -- learning, remembering and recognizing the world around oneself. Spindle cells may be affected by Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

'COMPLEX SOCIAL PATTERNS'

The researches found spindle neurons in the same location in toothed whales with the largest brains, which the researchers said suggests that they may be related to brain size. Toothed whales such as orcas are generally considered more intelligent than baleen whales such as humpbacks and blue whales, which filter water for their food.

The humpbacks also had structures that resembled "islands" in the cerebral cortex, also seen in some other mammals.

These islands may have evolved in order to promote fast and efficient communication between neurons, the researchers said.

Spindle neurons probably first appeared in the common ancestor of hominids, humans and great apes about 15 million years ago, the researchers said -- they are not seen in lesser apes or monkeys.

In cetaceans they would have evolved earlier, possibly as early as 30 million years ago, the researchers said.

Either the spindle neurons were only kept in the animals with the largest brains or they evolved several times independently, the researchers said.

"In spite of the relative scarcity of information on many cetacean species, it is important to note in this context that sperm whales, killer whales, and certainly humpback whales, exhibit complex social patterns that included intricate communication skills, coalition-formation, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage," the researchers wrote.

"It is thus likely that some of these abilities are related to comparable histologic complexity in brain organisation in cetaceans and in hominids."

[TigerLikesRooster]

Given enough time, the same brain structure can emerge from different mammal species.

[TigerLikesRooster]

We found your long lost cousin.
He is a better swimmer.:-)

[RexBeach]

So, this explains Rosie O'Donnell!

[EveningStar]

ping

[RightWhale]

Although the function of spindle neurons is not well understood, they may be involved in cognition -- learning, remembering and recognizing the world around

Everything else is involved, why not this kind of cell too?

[socal_parrot]

IBTTKIABSP!!!

In before the Ted Kennedy in a bathing suit pic!!!

[EveningStar]

The *WADL will sue you for that remark.


*Whale Anti-Defamation League

[llevrok]

This is not surprising.

30 percent of human DNA is the same as in daffodils (fact).

[Young Werther]

And the predomanance of the Daffy Dildoes are found in the likes of Kennedy and Kerry Demobulbs!

[al baby]

30 percent of human DNA is the same as in daffodils (fact).


Lets not become homophobic

[Condor51]

The finding may help explain some of the behaviours seen in whales, such as ... tool usage, the researchers report in The Anatomical Record.

I've give a shiny new nickel for ONE picture of a whale using a Hammer.

[BJClinton]

We found your long lost cousin.
He is a better swimmer.:-)

lol

[SunkenCiv]

"Opposable fins" ping. :')

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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[colorado tanker]

a type of cell called a spindle neuron in the cortex

Wonder if anyone's checked to see if liberals have this?

[SunkenCiv]

Why bother? Foregone conclusion. ;')

[true_blue_texican]

I heard of "screwing the pooch" but "screwing the whale"?!?!

[GoLightly]

This might mean such whales are more intelligent than they have been given credit for, and suggests the basis for complex brains either evolved more than once, or has gone unused by most species of animals, the researchers said.

Don't use it, you lose it part of the theory of evolution? Is the inclusion of dolphins on the list new information or was that already known?

[Dustbunny]

Amazing what they have been able to conclude from this find. /sarc

[To Hell With Poverty]

LOL, that's what I was thinking. Can we get an example please? Unless they think the humpbacks' "bubble curtains" that they make when feeding are some kind of tool, I can't think of anything close I've ever heard of before.

[Salamander]

"Spindle cells may be affected by Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia."

I'd be more concerned about the possibility of running into a 10 ton paranoid-schizophrenic whale, myself.