Considering the structure of the nervous system and the rela

Considering the structure of the nervous system and the relationship of that structure to behavior. One topic that has generated both interest and controversy over the years is the relationship between brain size and intelligence. Here is the problem.. Alex, an African gray parrot who recently died, developed rather amazing language skills. As you know, birds have a smooth cortex. Alex was apparently highly intelligent. From what you have learned about brain/intelligence correlations, how might Alex\'s amazing abilities be explained? I am including a YouTube video of Alex.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldYkFdu5FJk

Solution

The cortex of birds and humans develop from the same pallial area( grey and white matter of cerebrum) and function in similar manner. Also intelligence evolves in response to the social environment in which the organism survives rather than the natural environment. The more complex the society the more intelligence is required to survive in these surrounding areas. Humans and other primates being social animal have been encountering these challenges since birth and hence it becomes easier compared to other animals to communicate through a very complex mode which is language. Thus although brain size and volume is correlated with intelligence, enlargement of specific parts of the brain is associated with its specific tasks. Learning new words show growth in gray matter and is also related to the number of words learned. Thus although birds are considered to be less intelligent than primates because of their brain size, social environment and specific parts of the brain performing different functions also play an important role in learning and intelligence.