Reversible Symbolic Associations: A Potential Marker of Human-Specific Brain Mechanisms

Основные понятия

Humans, but not monkeys, exhibit spontaneous reversal of learned associations between arbitrary symbols and objects, suggesting a human-specific brain network capable of reversible symbolic reference.

Аннотация

The study investigated the neural mechanisms underlying the learning and reversal of arbitrary associations between sensory stimuli (auditory labels and visual objects, or visual labels and visual objects) in humans and non-human primates (macaque monkeys) using fMRI.

In humans, violations of learned associations activated a broad bilateral network of high-level brain areas, including language, mathematical, and visual symbol processing regions, regardless of whether the associations were presented in the learned or reversed order. This suggests that humans form reversible symbolic representations, where the content is accessible from the symbol and vice versa.

In contrast, monkeys showed congruity effects confined to sensory areas and only in the learned direction. They did not exhibit any signature of spontaneous reversal, as indicated by a significant interaction between congruity and canonicity of the associations.

These results demonstrate a fundamental difference between humans and non-human primates in the ability to form reversible symbolic associations, which may be a key marker of the human-specific cognitive abilities underlying language, mathematics, and other symbolic domains.

Статистика

"After learning a unidirectional association, humans showed surprise signals when this learned association was violated. Crucially, this effect occurred spontaneously in both learned and reversed directions, within an extended network of high-level brain areas, including, but also going beyond, the language network."
"In monkeys, by contrast, violations of association effects occurred solely in the learned direction and were largely confined to sensory areas."

Цитаты

"We propose that a human-specific brain network may have evolved the capacity for reversible symbolic reference."
"These results demonstrate a fundamental difference between humans and non-human primates in the ability to form reversible symbolic associations, which may be a key marker of the human-specific cognitive abilities underlying language, mathematics, and other symbolic domains."

Ключевые выводы из

Brain areas for reversible symbolic reference, a potential singularity of the human brain

by van Kerkoerl... в www.biorxiv.org 03-04-2023

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.04.531109v2

Дополнительные вопросы

What are the specific neurobiological mechanisms that enable reversible symbol learning in humans, and how might they have evolved?

In humans, reversible symbol learning involves a complex network of brain areas that go beyond traditional language processing regions. This network includes bilateral middle frontal gyrus, intraparietal sulcus, anterior insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and left inferior temporal gyrus. These areas are involved in various cognitive functions, such as language, mathematics, music, and attention. The ability to spontaneously reverse learned associations suggests a high level of cognitive flexibility and symbolic representation in humans.
The specific neurobiological mechanisms underlying reversible symbol learning in humans are not fully understood, but several hypotheses can be proposed. One possibility is that the hippocampus, known for its role in memory and spatial navigation, plays a crucial role in encoding and retrieving reversible associations. Neuronal replay in the hippocampus may allow for the flexible representation of temporal sequences and the ability to reverse learned associations.
Another potential mechanism could involve the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-order cognitive functions, including decision-making, planning, and cognitive control. The prefrontal cortex may play a role in integrating information from different brain regions and coordinating the reversal of learned associations.
The evolution of these neurobiological mechanisms for reversible symbol learning in humans may be linked to the expansion and specialization of certain brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes. These changes in brain structure and connectivity may have enabled humans to develop more sophisticated cognitive abilities, including the capacity for symbolic representation and flexible learning.

How do contextual factors, such as the nature of the stimuli or the task demands, influence the tendency for reversible symbolic learning in humans and other animals?

Contextual factors, such as the nature of the stimuli and the task demands, can significantly influence the tendency for reversible symbolic learning in humans and other animals. In the experiments described, the type of stimuli (auditory-visual vs. visual-visual) and the task demands (reward association paradigm) had a notable impact on the learning and generalization of associations.
For humans, the use of abstract labels and concrete objects in the stimuli, along with the passive exposure to associations, facilitated the reversible learning of symbolic pairs. The nature of the stimuli, which included linguistic and visual symbols, likely engaged multiple brain networks involved in language, mathematics, and visual processing. The task demands, such as the familiarity ratings and the reward association paradigm, provided additional context for the participants to encode and retrieve the learned associations.
In contrast, non-human primates showed limitations in reversible symbolic learning, particularly in the spontaneous reversal of associations. The use of less optimal stimuli (e.g., auditory labels for monkeys) and the lack of a reward association paradigm may have contributed to the observed differences in learning abilities between humans and non-human primates.
Overall, contextual factors play a crucial role in shaping the learning and generalization of symbolic associations in both humans and other animals. The complexity and relevance of the stimuli, as well as the task demands, can impact the extent to which reversible symbolic learning occurs in different species.

Could the ability for reversible symbolic learning be observed in other species, such as dolphins or elephants, that exhibit advanced cognitive and communicative abilities compared to most non-human primates?

The ability for reversible symbolic learning, as demonstrated in humans, may also be observed in other species with advanced cognitive and communicative abilities, such as dolphins or elephants. These animals have shown remarkable intelligence, social complexity, and communication skills, suggesting a potential for symbolic representation and flexible learning.
Dolphins, known for their sophisticated communication systems and problem-solving abilities, have demonstrated the capacity to understand and respond to symbolic representations. Studies have shown that dolphins can learn complex tasks, recognize themselves in mirrors, and communicate with humans using symbolic gestures. This suggests that dolphins may have the cognitive abilities necessary for reversible symbolic learning.
Similarly, elephants, with their highly developed social structures and long-term memory, exhibit advanced cognitive capabilities that may support reversible symbolic learning. Elephants have been observed using tools, displaying empathy, and showing self-awareness, indicating a level of cognitive flexibility that could enable them to learn and reverse symbolic associations.
While further research is needed to investigate the extent of reversible symbolic learning in dolphins, elephants, and other species, the existing evidence of their cognitive abilities suggests that they may possess the capacity for this type of learning. By designing experiments that account for the unique sensory and social characteristics of these animals, researchers can explore the potential for reversible symbolic learning in a broader range of species beyond non-human primates.