Laterality for the next decade: Costs and benefits of neuronal asymmetries – putting lateralization in an evolutionary context

ABSTRACT

In my comment on the target article of Ocklenburg et al. [Laterality 2020: Entering the next decade. Laterality, 1–33. doi:10.1080/1357650X.2020.1804396], I point out the relevance of studies in non-human species within natural settings for understanding the ecological pressures, which shape the direction and degree of brain asymmetries. I therefore outline some major research projects, which are not included in the paper of Ocklenburg et al. and which require comparative animal research.

KEYWORDS:

• Asymmetry
• ecology
• evolutionary fitness
• field study
• lateralization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [grant number MA 4485/2-2].