Papagaitxes and humans have similar areas in the brain associated with vocalizations with similar functioning

2025/03/25 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Biologia
• Eboluzioa
• Zoologia
• Anatomia/Fisiologia

A study with potatoes or pericytes has shown that these birds and humans, associated with vocalizations, have similar areas in the brain and use similar mechanisms. Therefore, potatoes may be suitable for investigating communication problems, such as those that may occur as a result of a stroke.

The study was conducted at Langone Hospital in New York. Humans are the only animals that have the ability to talk. But other animals are also capable of complex vocalizations. Among them, the papagaitxos stand out because they achieve a lot of control and flexibility and generate a wide range of vocalizations. This led researchers to think that behind the vocalizations, papagaitxes and humans could have the same or similar neural representation.

And that's what they've proven in their research. It has been published in the journal Nature and mentioned in the same title as an example of evolutionary convergence. They have determined that they use the central core of the area called the anterior arcopalium to perform vocalizations. This field is connected to the syrinx, which is the vocal organ of the birds, through which they are able to generate a wide range of vocalizations. Except in humans, they have not found this in any other species.