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Author Siniscalchi, M.; Sasso, R.; Pepe, A.M.; Dimatteo, S.; Vallortigara, G.; Quaranta, A.
Title Catecholamine plasma levels following immune stimulation with rabies vaccine in dogs selected for their paw preferences Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication (up) Neuroscience Letters Abbreviated Journal
Volume 476 Issue 3 Pages 142-145
Keywords Physiology; Behavior; Lateralization; Catecholamines; Paw preference; Neuro-immune-modulation
Abstract Epinephrine and norepinephrine plasma levels were assessed in dogs in relation to paw preference following an immune challenge with rabies vaccine. The results showed that both catecholamines increased after the vaccine administration, confirming the main role of the sympathetic nervous system in the modulation activity between the brain and the immune system. Moreover, ambidextrous dogs showed a significantly higher increase of epinephrine levels 8 days after immunization with respect to right- and left-pawed dogs, suggesting that the biological activity of this molecule could be key for a different immune response with regard to laterality.
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ISSN 0304-3940 ISBN Medium
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5788
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Author Ghirlanda, S.; Frasnelli, E.; Vallortigara, G.
Title Intraspecific competition and coordination in the evolution of lateralization Type Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication (up) Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Abbreviated Journal Phil. Trans. Biol. Sci.
Volume 364 Issue 1519 Pages 861-866
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Abstract Recent studies have revealed a variety of left–right asymmetries among vertebrates and invertebrates. In many species, left- and right-lateralized individuals coexist, but in unequal numbers (‘population-level’ lateralization). It has been argued that brain lateralization increases individual efficiency (e.g. avoiding unnecessary duplication of neural circuitry and reducing interference between functions), thus counteracting the ecological disadvantages of lateral biases in behaviour (making individual behaviour more predictable to other organisms). However, individual efficiency does not require a definite proportion of left- and right-lateralized individuals. Thus, such arguments do not explain population-level lateralization. We have previously shown that, in the context of prey–predator interactions, population-level lateralization can arise as an evolutionarily stable strategy when individually asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behaviour with that of other asymmetrical organisms. Here, we extend our model showing that populations consisting of left- and right-lateralized individuals in unequal numbers can be evolutionarily stable, based solely on strategic factors arising from the balance between antagonistic (competitive) and synergistic (cooperative) interactions.
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Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5346
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Author Ghirlanda, S.; Vallortigara, G.
Title The evolution of brain lateralization: a game-theoretical analysis of population structure Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication (up) Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences Abbreviated Journal
Volume 271 Issue 1541 Pages 853-857
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Abstract In recent years, it has become apparent that behavioural and brain lateralization at the population level is the rule rather than the exception among vertebrates. The study of these phenomena has so far been the province of neurology and neuropsychology. Here, we show how such research can be integrated with evolutionary biology to understand lateralization more fully. In particular, we address the fact that, within a species, left– and right–type individuals often occur in proportions different from one–half (e.g. hand use in humans). The traditional explanations offered for lateralization of brain function (that it may avoid unnecessary duplication of neural circuitry and reduce interference between functions) cannot account for this fact, because increased individual efficiency is unrelated to the alignment of lateralization at the population level. A further puzzle is that such an alignment may even be disadvantageous, as it makes individual behaviour more predictable to other organisms. Here, we show that alignment of the direction of behavioural asymmetries in a population can arise as an evolutionarily stable strategy when individual asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behaviour with that of other asymmetrical organisms. Brain and behavioural lateralization, as we know it in humans and other vertebrates, may have evolved under basically ‘social’ selection pressures.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5345
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Author Vallortigara, G.; Rogers, L.J.
Title Survival with an asymmetrical brain: advantages and disadvantages of cerebral lateralization Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication (up) The Behavioral and Brain Sciences Abbreviated Journal Behav Brain Sci
Volume 28 Issue 4 Pages 575-89; discussion 589-633
Keywords Animals; Attention/*physiology; Behavior/*physiology; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Dominance, Cerebral/*physiology; *Evolution; Humans; Models, Biological; Visual Perception/physiology
Abstract Recent evidence in natural and semi-natural settings has revealed a variety of left-right perceptual asymmetries among vertebrates. These include preferential use of the left or right visual hemifield during activities such as searching for food, agonistic responses, or escape from predators in animals as different as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There are obvious disadvantages in showing such directional asymmetries because relevant stimuli may be located to the animal's left or right at random; there is no a priori association between the meaning of a stimulus (e.g., its being a predator or a food item) and its being located to the animal's left or right. Moreover, other organisms (e.g., predators) could exploit the predictability of behavior that arises from population-level lateral biases. It might be argued that lateralization of function enhances cognitive capacity and efficiency of the brain, thus counteracting the ecological disadvantages of lateral biases in behavior. However, such an increase in brain efficiency could be obtained by each individual being lateralized without any need to align the direction of the asymmetry in the majority of the individuals of the population. Here we argue that the alignment of the direction of behavioral asymmetries at the population level arises as an “evolutionarily stable strategy” under “social” pressures occurring when individually asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behavior with the behavior of other asymmetrical organisms of the same or different species.
Address Department of Psychology and B.R.A.I.N. Centre for Neuroscience, University of Trieste, 34123 Trieste, Italy. vallorti@univ.trieste.it
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
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ISSN 0140-525X ISBN Medium
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Notes PMID:16209828 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4622
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Author Vallortigara, G.; Chiandetti, C.; Sovrano, V.A.
Title Brain asymmetry (animal) Type Journal Article
Year 2011 Publication (up) Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science Abbreviated Journal WIREs Cogn Sci
Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 146-157
Keywords
Abstract Once considered a uniquely human attribute, brain asymmetry has been proved to be ubiquitous among non-human animals. A synthetic review of evidence of animal lateralization in the motor, sensory, cognitive, and affective domains is provided, together with a discussion of its development and possible biological functions. It is argued that investigation of brain asymmetry in a comparative perspective may favor the link between classical neuropsychological studies and modern developmental and evolutionary biology approaches. WIREs Cogni Sci 2011 2 146–157 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.100 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
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Publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1939-5086 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5687
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