Aggression, Sex And Individual Differences In Cerebral Lateralization In A Cichlid Fish

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary;  Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 04 Jun 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Cerebral lateralization, handling different tasks with one particular side of the brain or the other, seems ubiquitous among vertebrates.

Individuals within a species show considerable variation in lateralization.

Why such variation exists is unknown.

It is known that individuals with more strongly lateralized brains are at an advantage in tasks such as those involving multitasking.

We investigate cerebral lateralization in a fish and show that the strength of lateralization is linked to a behavioural trait, aggressiveness, and that this relationship depends on the sex of the fish.

We suggest that cerebral lateralization is linked to variation in personality.

Royal Society journal Biology Letters

Biology Letters publishes short, innovative and cutting-edge research articles and opinion pieces accessible to scientists from across the biological sciences. The journal is characterised by stringent peer-review, rapid publication and broad dissemination of succinct high-quality research communications.

www.publishing.royalsociety.org/biologyletters

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