NYT/Reuters: Humpback Whales Have "Human" Brain Cells: Study

[DeepModem Mom]

Humpback Whales Have "Human" Brain Cells: Study
By REUTERS
Published: November 27, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Humpback whales have a type of brain cell seen only in humans, the great apes, and other cetaceans such as dolphins, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

This might mean such whales are more intelligent than they have been given credit for, and suggests the basis for complex brains either evolved more than once, or has gone unused by most species of animals, the researchers said.

The finding may help explain some of the behaviors seen in whales, such as intricate communication skills, the formation of alliances, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage, the researchers report in The Anatomical Record.

Patrick Hof and Estel Van der Gucht of the Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York studied the brains of humpback whales and discovered a type of cell called a spindle neuron in the cortex, in areas comparable to where they are seen in humans and great apes.

Although the function of spindle neurons is not well understood, they may be involved in cognition -- learning, remembering and recognizing the world around oneself. Spindle cells may be affected by Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-whales-brains.html

[WillParkinson]

1. Oh god...

We'd better wipe them out before they take over the world.

[qazplm]

3. still have them beat

with our opposable thumbs!

[WindRavenX]

2. blech, what a crappy headline

Should be: "Whales share cell type associated with higher intelligence". As it is, it implies cells only seen in humans.

[rumpel]

4. Perhaps it will finally put an end to whaling...

just a wish of mine....

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Mine, too. nt

[Tesha]

9. Has it put an end to landmining, murdering, etc?

Proof of intelligence won't save the whales.

Tesha

[cosmicone]

5. In a related study, it was determined that

GW Bush aka Chimpenführer has no chimp brain cells but a lower form commonly seen in centipedes.

[Spinzonner]

7. That idea has legs

[Bucky]

8. It certainly breaks the molt