tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post6100591765338408674..comments2024-03-22T00:30:09.536-07:00Comments on The Neurocritic: Spindle Neurons in Elephants and Dolphins: Convergent Evolution in Large-Brained Mammals?The Neurocritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-74166466195897204042009-12-21T22:40:55.819-08:002009-12-21T22:40:55.819-08:00Thanks for the link, P. Jennings. That does sound ...Thanks for the link, P. Jennings. That does sound like an awesome experience for the divers.The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-88019398121643606732009-12-21T00:05:41.474-08:002009-12-21T00:05:41.474-08:00This is sort of old, took me a while to go find it...This is sort of old, took me a while to go find it.<br /><br />Behavior like that which is described in the article (brief excerpt below, full text at URL) seems to me to validate the idea of spindle neurons and their functions.<br /><br />In brief - humpback whale was trapped and effectively tied up tight by crab traps, etc. Humans come to the rescue --<br /><br />"Moskito and three other divers spent about an hour cutting the ropes with a special curved knife. <br /><br />"The whale floated passively in the water the whole time, he said, giving off a strange kind of vibration. 'When I was cutting the line going through the mouth, its eye was there winking at me, watching me,' Moskito said. 'It was an epic moment of my life.' <br /><br />"When the whale realized it was free, it began swimming around in circles, according to the rescuers. <br /><br />"Moskito said it swam to each diver, nuzzled him and then swam to the next one. 'It seemed kind of affectionate, like a dog that's happy to see you,' Moskito said. 'I never felt threatened. It was an amazing, unbelievable experience.'" <br /><br />Article at:<br />http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/14/MNGNKG7Q0V1.DTLP. Jenningsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-14745669976061283522009-12-19T03:08:22.044-08:002009-12-19T03:08:22.044-08:00Fascinating stuff!Fascinating stuff!Neuroskeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06647064768789308157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-2542463792016592132009-12-14T10:13:10.542-08:002009-12-14T10:13:10.542-08:00How coincidental... One of the qualifying exam qu...How coincidental... One of the qualifying exam questions I was given this summer was on the link between Von Economo neurons and social behavior. Whoever wrote the question must have had Hakeem et al in mind. <br /><br />Not the question I chose to answer, but perhaps the one I should have gone with.Tantalus Primehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02906363761474296292noreply@blogger.com