Format-dependent and format-independent representation of sequential and simultaneous numerosity in the crow endbrain

Ditz, Helen M.; Nieder, Andreas

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-14519-2

Cited by 39 publications

(39 citation statements)

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“…The necessary stimulus configurations that control for a variety of temporal factors have been applied in studies with monkeys and crows. They show that the subjects indeed responded to the number of sequentially presented items, and not to temporal factors ( Nieder et al, 2006 ; Nieder, 2012 ; Ditz and Nieder, 2020 ).…”

Section: Numerosity Discrimination Accuracy With Sequentially Presentmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Detailed performance data for the enumeration of visual sequences of flashed dots are available for two monkeys (Figure 4B; Nieder, 2012) and two crows ( Figure 4C; Ditz and Nieder, 2020). With an average Weber fraction of 0.31 (+/− 0.17), the two monkeys showed significantly better accuracy then the two crows with a Weber fraction of 0.59 (+/− 0.13) (p < 0.05; two-tailed paired t-test; n = 4) ( Figure 4D).…”

Section: Numerosity Discrimination Accuracy With Sequentially Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even though the CV erroneously assumes symmetric performance distributions and is not directly related to the Weber fraction, we calculated the CV for the same monkey (Nieder, 2012) and crow data (Ditz and Nieder, 2020) from Gauss functions fitted to the sequential performance functions. For sequential enumeration, crows had a much larger average CV of 0.39.…”

Section: Numerosity Discrimination Accuracy With Sequentially Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(B) Average numerosity performance functions of two rhesus macaques in the sequential DMNT for target numerosity 1-4 (data from Nieder, 2012). (C) Average numerosity performance functions of two carrion crows in the sequential DMNT for target numerosity 1-4 (data from Ditz and Nieder, 2020). (D) Weber fractions for small sequential-numerosity discriminations of two macaques and two crows.…”

Section: From Behavior To Neuronsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using a DMNT with virtually identical experimental conditions, detailed psychophysical characterization of absolute numerosity representations have been obtained in humans ( Merten and Nieder, 2009 ), rhesus macaques ( Nieder and Miller, 2003 ; Nieder et al, 2006 ; Merten and Nieder, 2009 ; Nieder, 2012 ), and carrion crows ( Ditz and Nieder, 2015 , 2016 , 2020 ). These data allow us to characterize the subjective representations of numerosity in detail.…”

Section: From Relative To Absolute Numerosity Judgmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Absolute Numerosity Discrimination as a Case Study in Comparative Vertebrate Intelligence

Nieder

2020

Front. Psychol.

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The question of whether some non-human animal species are more intelligent than others is a reoccurring theme in comparative psychology. To convincingly address this question, exact comparability of behavioral methodology and data across species is required. The current article explores one of the rare cases in which three vertebrate species (humans, macaques, and crows) experienced identical experimental conditions during the investigation of a core cognitive capability-the abstract categorization of absolute numerical quantity. We found that not every vertebrate species studied in numerical cognition were able to flexibly discriminate absolute numerosity, which suggests qualitative differences in numerical intelligence are present between vertebrates. Additionally, systematic differences in numerosity judgment accuracy exist among those species that could master abstract and flexible judgments of absolute numerosity, thus arguing for quantitative differences between vertebrates. These results demonstrate that Macphail's Null Hypotheses-which suggests that all non-human vertebrates are qualitatively and quantitatively of equal intelligenceis untenable.

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Section: Numerosity Discrimination Accuracy With Sequentially Presentmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Numerosity Discrimination Accuracy With Sequentially Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Numerosity Discrimination Accuracy With Sequentially Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: From Behavior To Neuronsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: From Relative To Absolute Numerosity Judgmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Absolute Numerosity Discrimination as a Case Study in Comparative Vertebrate Intelligence

Nieder

2020

Front. Psychol.

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A histological study of the song system of the carrion crow (Corvus corone)

2021

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The song system of songbirds (oscines) is one of the best studied neuroethological model systems. So far, it has been treated as a relatively constrained sensorimotor system. Songbirds such as crows, however, are also known for their capability to cognitively control their audio‐vocal system. Yet, the neuroanatomy of the corvid song system has never been explored systematically. We aim to close this scientific gap by presenting a stereotactic investigation of the extended song system of the carrion crow (Corvus corone), an oscine songbird of the corvid family that has become an interesting model system for cognitive neuroscience. In order to identify and delineate the song nuclei, the ascending auditory nuclei, and the descending vocal‐motor nuclei, four stains were applied. In addition to the classical Nissl‐, myelin‐, and a combination of Nissl‐and‐myelin staining, staining for tyrosine hydroxylase was used to reveal the distribution of catecholaminergic neurons (dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and adrenergic) in the song system. We show that the crow brain contains the important song‐related nuclei, including auditory input and motor output structures, and map them throughout the brain. Fiber‐stained sections reveal putative connection patterns between the crow's song nuclei comparable to other songbirds.

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A brain atlas of the carrion crow (Corvus corone)

Kersten

Friedrich‐Müller

Nieder

2022

J of Comparative Neurology

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Corvidae, passerine songbirds such as jays, crows, and ravens known as corvids, have become model systems for the study of avian cognition. The superior cognitive capabilities of corvids mainly emerge from a disproportionally large telencephalon found in these species. However, a systematic mapping of the neuroanatomy of the corvid brain, and the telencephalon in particular, is lacking so far. Here, we present a brain atlas of the carrion crow, Corvus corone, with special emphasis on the telencephalic pallium. We applied four staining techniques to brain slices (Nissl, myelin, combination of Nissl and myelin, and tyrosine hydroxylase targeting catecholaminergic neurons). This allowed us to identify brain nuclei throughout the brain and delineate the known pallial subdivisions termed hyperpallium, entopallium, mesopallium, nidopallium, arcopallium, and hippocampal complex. The extent of these subdivisions and brain nuclei are described according to stereotaxic coordinates. In addition, 3D depictions of pallial regions were reconstructed from these slices. While the overall organization of the carrion crow's brain matches other songbird brains, the relative proportions and expansions of associative pallial areas differ considerably in agreement with enhanced cognitive skills found in corvids. The presented global organization of the crow brain in stereotaxic coordinates will help to guide future neurobiological studies in corvids.

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Format-dependent and format-independent representation of sequential and simultaneous numerosity in the crow endbrain

Cited by 39 publications

References 49 publications

Absolute Numerosity Discrimination as a Case Study in Comparative Vertebrate Intelligence

Absolute Numerosity Discrimination as a Case Study in Comparative Vertebrate Intelligence

A histological study of the song system of the carrion crow (Corvus corone)

A brain atlas of the carrion crow (Corvus corone)

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