A new study has found species with larger brains (great apes and old-world monkeys) may have more self-control than species with smaller brains (birds and lemurs).
Authors explain that as the total number of neurons increases, the evolution of new cognitive networks becomes possible. This becomes possible as parts of the brain tend to specialize, forming structures like the prefontal cortex, which regulates self-control.
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Original research paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on April 21, 2014.
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