AVIAN VISUAL LATERALIZATION - A REVIEW

Cerebral asymmetries represent an important principle of the organizat ion of nervous systems. The asymmetries of the avian visual system, wi th their partly complementary domains in the left and the right hemisp here, offer an excellent window for the lateralized learning and cogni tive processes. These behavioural experiments are accompanied by bioch emical, synaptic, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical studies whi ch have clarified to some extent the neuronal foundations of this asym metry. Additionally they show that most, but not all, aspects of visua l lateralization depend on a minute asymmetry of prehatch visual stimu lation which triggers a cascade of events transforming the embryonic n ervous system into lateralized structure and functioning.