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Comparative Views of Avian Brain
A wide range of studies have recently demonstrated that the so-called "primitive" regions of avian brains are actually sophisticated processing regions homologous to those in mammals. The above illustrations compare the traditional view of the primitive avian brain as a subregion of the human brain (in purple) with the new view that the avian brain has subregions proportional to those in humans (blue, purple and green). Scientists now know that the complexities of avian brain regions allow sensory processing, motor control and sensorimotor learning as in the mammalian neocortex (in green).
Projected support for this and other exciting basic research in science, engineering and education was included in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) fiscal year 2006 budget request to Congress. For more current NSF budget information, see NSF Budget Requests to Congress and Annual Appropriations.
This image accompanied NSF press release, "NSF Submits Its Fiscal 2006 Budget Request of $5.6 Billion."
Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation
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