|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author (up) Diekamp, B.; Prior, H.; Güntürkün, O.
Title Functional lateralization, interhemispheric transfer and position bias in serial reversal learning in pigeons (Columba livia) Type Journal Article
Year 1999 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.
Volume 2 Issue 4 Pages 187-196
Keywords
Abstract In the present study we investigated lateralization of color reversal learning in pigeons. After monocular acquisition of a simple color discrimination with either the left or right eye, birds were tested in a serial reversal procedure. While there was only a slight and non-significant difference in choice accuracy during original color discrimination, a stable superiority of birds using the right eye emerged in serial reversals. Both groups showed a characteristic 'learning-to-learn' effect, but right-eyed subjects improved faster and reached a lower asymptotic error rate. Subsequent testing for interocular transfer demonstrated a difference between pre- and post-shift choice accuracy in pigeons switching from right to left eye but not vice versa. This can be accounted for by differences in maximum performance using either the left or right eye along with an equally efficient but incomplete interocular transfer in both directions. Detailed analysis of the birds' response patterns during serial reversals revealed a preference for the right of two response keys in both groups. This bias was most pronounced at the beginning of a session. It decreased within sessions, but became more pronounced in late reversals, thus indicating a successful strategy for mastering the serial reversal task. Interocular transfer of response patterns revealed an unexpected asymmetry. Birds switching from right to left eye continued to prefer the right side, whereas pigeons shifting from left to right eye were now biased towards the left side. The results suggest that lateralized performance during reversal learning in pigeons rests on a complex interplay of learning about individual stimuli, stimulus dimensions, and lateralized response strategies.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3223
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Güntürkün, O.
Title How asymmetry in animals starts Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication European Review Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 105-118
Keywords
Abstract This review aims to present a speculation about mechanisms that shape the brains of humans and other animals into an asymmetrical organization. To this end, I will proceed in two steps: first, I want to recapitulate evidence from various experiments that show that some but not all asymmetries of the avian brain result from a prehatch light stimulation asymmetry. This should make it clear that avian embryos have a genetic predisposition to turn their head to the right. This results in a higher level of prehatch light stimulation of their right eye. The concomitant left–right difference in sensory input alters the brain circuits of the animal for the entire lifespan in a lateralized way. In the second part of the paper I will present evidence that some of the asymmetries of the human brain take a similar ontogenetic path as those observed in birds. This review provides the evidence that critical ontogenetic processes discovered in animal models could also be involved in the ontogeny of human cerebral asymmetries.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5674
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Güntürkün, O.; Kesch, S.
Title Visual lateralization during feeding in pigeons Type Journal Article
Year 1987 Publication Behavioral Neuroscience Abbreviated Journal Behav. Neurosci.
Volume 101 Issue 3 Pages 433-435
Keywords use of right vs left eye, amount & accuracy of pecking in food discrimination task, homing pigeons, implications for lateralization of cerebral function
Abstract In a quasi-natural feeding situation, adult pigeons had to detect and consume 30 food grains out of about 1,000 pebbles of similar shape, size, and color within 30 s under monocular conditions. With the right eye seeing, the animals achieved a significantly higher discrimination accuracy and, consequently, a significantly higher proportion of grains grasped than with the left eye seeing. This result supports previous demonstrations of a left-hemisphere dominance for visually guided behavior in birds. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher US: American Psychological Association Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1939-0084(Electronic);0735-7044(Print) ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ 1987-30501-001 Serial 5588
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Kilian, A.; Fersen, L. von; Güntürkün, O.
Title Left hemispheric advantage for numerical abilities in the bottlenose dolphin Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.
Volume 68 Issue 2 Pages 179-184
Keywords Bottlenose dolphin; Hemispheric specialization; Monocular vision; Numerical ability
Abstract In a two-choice discrimination paradigm, a bottlenose dolphin discriminated relational dimensions between visual numerosity stimuli under monocular viewing conditions. After prior binocular acquisition of the task, two monocular test series with different number stimuli were conducted. In accordance with recent studies on visual lateralization in the bottlenose dolphin, our results revealed an overall advantage of the right visual field. Due to the complete decussation of the optic nerve fibers, this suggests a specialization of the left hemisphere for analysing relational features between stimuli as required in tests for numerical abilities. These processes are typically right hemisphere-based in other mammals (including humans) and birds. The present data provide further evidence for a general right visual field advantage in bottlenose dolphins for visual information processing. It is thus assumed that dolphins possess a unique functional architecture of their cerebral asymmetries.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0376-6357 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5366
Permanent link to this record