Lopsided Brains Let Fish Multitask

Think you're the only person that can multitask? Think again. Your fishies in your tanks can do that too! Well, at least to some researchers at University of Padova in Italy. Who would think having a fish brain could actually mean a good thing! :P

A symmetrical face is often thought a sign of beauty, but symmetry may be a disadvantage when it comes to the brain. "Left-brained" or "right-brained" fish are more adept at handling multiple activities than fish with no hemispheric preference, according to a new study. Their ability to multitask could help explain why vertebrate brains evolved to function asymmetrically.

Scientists used to think that only humans had lateralized, or asymmetric, brains. We generally use the left side of our brain to interpret language and the right to appreciate music, for example. Recently, though, researchers have come to believe that lateralized brains are universal among vertebrates. Some think the condition may allow animals to focus on multiple stimuli at once, with each hemisphere dealing with particular cues.

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