Scientific Accuracy - How can we make an alien brain more 'efficient' than a human's?

I am designing an semi-aquatic sapient species known as the Tetrapi. They have an appearance similar to that octopi, only with 4 tentacles comprised of 3 opposable digits. Unlike octopi, they are air-breathing and show full control of their behavioural responses. They are at a technological level of around Ancient Classical Greece and have devised a colour-changing language by chromatophores and a non-linear writing system of carving. They have a central brain with a size of around 1550cc although neural clumps can be observed at the tentacles.

How can I make the Tetrapus brain smaller than a human's while not sacrificing neural capacity? Would a greater density of neurons even work or would there be frequent misfires? Also, should I scrap the neural clumps or would they prove to be an advantage?

Your task is to find if this change is plausible within natural or artificial selection and why this change would occur in a logical way.

I'm sorry if I'm asking too much. I am a new user and I don't have much experience on this website so please be gentle!

posted over 7 years ago

Andsaur‭

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