Editing Evolutionary neuroscience (section)

{{short description|Study of the evolution of nervous systems}}
{{evolutionary biology}}
'''Evolutionary neuroscience''' is the scientific study of the [[evolution of nervous systems]]. Evolutionary neuroscientists investigate the [[evolution]] and [[natural history]] of [[nervous system]] structure, functions and emergent properties. The field draws on concepts and findings from both [[neuroscience]] and [[evolutionary biology]]. Historically, most empirical work has been in the area of [[Comparative anatomy|comparative neuroanatomy]], and modern studies often make use of [[phylogenetic comparative methods]]. [[Selective breeding]] and [[experimental evolution]] approaches are also being used more frequently.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rhodes |first1=J.S. |first2=T.J. |last2=Kawecki |year=2009 |section=Behavior and neurobiology |pages=263–300 |editor1-link=Theodore Garland, Jr. |editor1-first=T., Jr. |editor1-last=Garland |editor2-link=Michael R. Rose |editor2-first=M.R. |editor2-last=Rose |title=Experimental Evolution: Concepts, methods, and applications of selection experiments |publisher=University of California Press |place=Berkeley, CA }}</ref>

Conceptually and theoretically, the field is related to fields as diverse as [[cognitive genomics]], [[neurogenetics]], [[Development of the nervous system|developmental neuroscience]], [[neuroethology]], [[comparative psychology]], [[evo-devo]], [[behavioral neuroscience]], [[cognitive neuroscience]], [[behavioral ecology]], [[biological anthropology]] and [[sociobiology]].

Evolutionary neuroscientists examine changes in genes, anatomy, physiology, and behavior to study the evolution of changes in the brain.<ref name=Kaas-2007><br/>{{cite book |last=Kaas |first=J.H. |author-link=Jon Kaas |date=28 July 2009 |title=Evolutionary Neuroscience |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=9780123751683 |lang=en |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dTEtZTg_fi4C&q=evolutionary+neuroscience&pg=PP1 |via=Google }}</ref> They study a multitude of processes including the evolution of [[Human voice|vocal]], [[Visual system|visual]], [[Auditory cortex|auditory]], [[taste]], and [[Learning|learning systems]] as well as [[Evolutionary linguistics|language evolution]] and development.<ref name=Kaas-2007/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Platek |first1=Steven M. |last2=Shackelford |first2=Todd K. |date=26 February 2009 |title=Foundations in Evolutionary Cognitive Neuroscience |publisher=Cambridge University Press |place=Cambridge, UK |isbn=9780521884211 |lang=en |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hl90n55QLb0C&q=evolutionary+neuroscience&pg=PR1 |via=Google }}</ref> In addition, evolutionary neuroscientists study the evolution of specific areas or structures in the brain such as the [[amygdala]], [[forebrain]] and [[cerebellum]] as well as the [[Motor cortex|motor]] or [[visual cortex]].<ref name=Kaas-2007/>