The Evolution of Executive Functions in Archosauria

During my PhD, I studied executive functions, an umbrella term for many cognitive functions enabling goal-directed behaviours and mediated by networks involving the prefrontal cortex. Moreover, I used archosaurs as models, the clade containing both crocodylians and birds. Both groups possess a nidopallium caudolaterale, a brain region functionally equivalent to the mammalian prefrontal cortex. However, this region is much smaller in crocodylians, suggesting poorer performance in executive functions.

Results from my studies show that alligators perform on par with birds in tasks about interference control of visual working memory and self-control. However, results from previous studies in our research group show that contrary to birds, alligators prefer visible food items over hidden ones and have poor inhibitory control. Because of this mosaic pattern of results, I also investigated the mechanisms at play in tasks where alligators differ from birds.

Despite alligators being more attracted to visible rather than hidden food items, they keep track of their presence and choose them when the visible option becomes unavailable. Moreover, alligators are better in the inhibitory control task when the food item is hidden rather than directly seen.

Taken all together, these results suggest that alligators differ from birds in their ability to select the affordance leading to an invisible outcome when it directly competes with the affordance leading to a visible outcome of same attractiveness, even when this latter affordance is not actually available.

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