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Brain Tour : Our Brain : Looking at the Cerebrum : Experiment : Removing the Cerebrum/H2>
In some vertebrates (animals with backbones) , the cerebrum may serve essential to refine behavior that could be performed to some degree without it. These kinds of animals are not generally known for their learning abilities but rely more on genetically programmed behavior controlled by the parts other than the cerebrum. In higher animals the cerebrum takes on much greater importance, as in the case of visual and auditory centers. Just how important is the cerebrum? Let's proceed to experiment!
| Animal |
Behavior after removal |
Frog
|
The frog will show relatively
little change in behavior. If it is turned upside down it
will right itself; if it feels someone touching it, it
will hop away. It can even catch a fly. It can also
reproduce without a cerebrum!
|
Rat
|
A rat is more dependent on its
cerebrum. A rat without a cerebrum can see much except
the difference between light and darkness. However it is
able to move around normally. |
Cat
|
A cat with its cerebrum removed can
meow and purr, swallow, and move to avoid pain, but its
movement slow and robot-like. |
Dog
|
A Dog would be much more helpless
and would simply stand around like a zombie. It will
eventually starve unless food is thrust into its mouth. |
Monkey
|
A Monkey whose cerebrum has been
removed is severely paralysed and can barely distinguish
light and dark. |
Man
|
A Man who has suffered massive
cerebral damage may be totally blind and almost in
complete paralysis. Although such persons can breathe and
swallow, they will soon die. |
Conclusion:
It seems that , from an evolutionary standpoint, more and more of the functions of the lower brain are transferred to the cerebrum in the more intelligent species. Also, more intelligent species tend to have relatively large cerebrums with folds on the cerebrum. Intelligent animals like dolphins have highly convulated brains cerebrums but with fewer layers than in the human brain.
Related links
Brain Tour : Our Brain : Looking at the Cerebrum : The Brain's Features
You learnt that the more convulated the brain, the smarter the species in this section. Now, intrigue yourself with how these folds and creases came about.
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