Do dolphins really have a rightward lateralization for action? The importance of behavior-specific and orientation-neutral coding.
Cerebral asymmetry
Cetaceans
Dolphins
Lateralization
Rotation
Swimming direction
Journal
Behavioural brain research
ISSN: 1872-7549
Titre abrégé: Behav Brain Res
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 8004872
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
05 03 2021
05 03 2021
Historique:
received:
16
10
2020
revised:
11
12
2020
accepted:
14
12
2020
pubmed:
29
12
2020
medline:
16
11
2021
entrez:
28
12
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Because each side of the vertebrate body is controlled by a different side of the brain, studies of behavioral lateralization can provide insight into functional cerebral asymmetries in humans and other animals. The current study examined behavioral lateralization for a variety of behaviors in a group of 26 dolphins, in order to assess the claim that cetaceans show strong rightward action asymmetries indicative of a left-hemisphere specialization for action. We distinguished between side asymmetries and whole body turning actions, and devised a new coding system to counter the problem that previous studies of rolling behaviors (i.e., rotations around the long axis) have used contradictory coding systems depending on species' typical orientation. Our results did not support a generalized population-level rightward action asymmetry across multiple behaviors. Instead, we suggest that many dolphin behavioral asymmetries may be better explained as a result of perceptual processing asymmetries common across many vertebrates.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33358918
pii: S0166-4328(20)30782-8
doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113083
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
113083Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.