The Central Nervous System of Fish

The chapter provides basic information about the central nervous system of fish. In addition to general information about the structure of the vertebrate brain, the chapter contains information about the development, anatomy, evolution, and physiology of the fish brain. It is shown that fish brains—with the exception of the forebrain—are similar in terms of their anatomy, complexity, physiology, and function to the brains of other vertebrates (including those of mammals and humans), while undergoing a significantly modified development during embryogenesis. Although the fish brain lacks a cerebral cortex, it performs cognitive functions in many areas that are tied to cortical circuits in mammals.