Publication
Title
Covariation between brain size and immunity in birds : implications for brain size evolution
Author
Abstract
Parasitism can negatively affect learning and cognition, setting the scene for coevolution between brain and immunity. Greater susceptibility to parasitism by males may impair their cognitive ability, and relatively greater male investment in immunity could compensate for greater susceptibility to parasites, in particular when males have a relatively large brain. We analysed covariation between relative size of immune defence organs and brain in juvenile and adult birds. The relative size of the bursa of Fabricius and the spleen in adults covaried positively with relative brain size across bird species. The relative size of these two immune defence organs covaried with sex differences in relative size of the brain, indicating that the relationship between immune defence and brain size was stronger for males. In contrast, liver and heart size or sexual size dimorphism in size did not covary with immune defence. Thus, species in which males have relatively large brains also have relatively large immune defence organs.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of evolutionary biology. - Basel, 1987, currens
Publication
Basel : Birkhäuser , 2005
ISSN
1010-061X [print]
1420-9101 [online]
DOI
10.1111/J.1420-9101.2004.00805.X
Volume/pages
18 :1 (2005) , p. 223-237
ISI
000226400000024
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 03.01.2013
Last edited 04.10.2024
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