Collaborative Research: The Origin of the Large Brains of Cetaceans

合作研究：鲸类大脑的起源

• 批准号: 2142526
• 负责人: Johannes Thewissen
• 金额: $ 55.14万
• 依托单位: Northeast Ohio Medical University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-15 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2142526&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Origin; Large; Brains

Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) have the largest brains on the planet, ever. Even when scaled for body size, cetacean brains are second only to humans in size. Expansion of brain size in cetaceans has been considered a consequence of echolocation and/or an increase in the number of neurons. This project will use the study of fossil cetaceans to identify factors lead to brain expansion. Because cetaceans are a charismatic group of mammals with an exceptional fossil record, this study will use brain evolution as a case study that engages high school juniors and seniors from a rural STEM school in Ohio, as well as Alaskan high school and college students. Students will take a course focused on Whales, Seals, and Evolution, which integrates broader geological and biological concepts. A symposium organized by the Sitka Science Center in Alaska will be used to present findings to the general public. This study analyzes a collection of the earliest fossil cetaceans to identify factors contributing to the evolution of brain size. The project team will test the hypothesis that the acquisition of echolocation led to increases in brain size. This will be accomplished by studying changes in ear shape in fossil whales over time to identify when high-frequency hearing evolved. In addition, the team will test whether size increases in the cetacean brain are a consequence of increasing numbers of neurons or other support cells. This will be accomplished by comparing the number of neurons within the brains of living echolocating and non-echolocating whales relative to other cells within the brain. This study will further understanding of cetacean evolution by pinpointing when the expansion of the brain occurred, how this expansion relates to the onset of high-frequency hearing, and by quantifying the diversity and abundance of cells within the brain.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

鲸目动物（鲸鱼、海豚、鼠海豚）拥有地球上迄今为止最大的大脑。即使按照身体大小来衡量，鲸类大脑的大小也仅次于人类。鲸目动物大脑尺寸的扩大被认为是回声定位和/或神经元数量增加的结果。 该项目将利用鲸类化石的研究来确定导致大脑扩张的因素。 由于鲸类动物是一种魅力十足的哺乳动物群体，拥有特殊的化石记录，因此这项研究将以大脑进化为案例研究，对象包括俄亥俄州一所乡村 STEM 学校的高中生和高年级学生，以及阿拉斯加的高中生和大学生。 学生将学习以鲸鱼、海豹和进化为重点的课程，该课程整合了更广泛的地质和生物学概念。阿拉斯加锡特卡科学中心组织的研讨会将向公众展示研究结果。这项研究分析了一组最早的鲸类化石，以确定影响大脑大小进化的因素。 该项目团队将测试回声定位的获得导致大脑尺寸增加的假设。 这将通过研究化石鲸鱼耳朵形状随时间的变化来确定高频听力何时进化来实现。 此外，研究小组还将测试鲸类大脑尺寸的增加是否是神经元或其他支持细胞数量增加的结果。 这将通过比较活体回声定位鲸鱼和非回声定位鲸鱼大脑内的神经元数量与大脑内其他细胞的数量来实现。 这项研究将通过查明大脑扩张发生的时间、这种扩张与高频听力发生的关系，以及量化大脑内细胞的多样性和丰度，进一步了解鲸类的进化。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。