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Kinoshita Y, Hirasaki E. Variation of thoracolumbar vertebral morphology in anthropoid primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24904. [PMID: 38305568 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Morphological variation among extant primates in the lumbar vertebral column is well studied. However, knowledge concerning the thoracic spine, an important region responsible for supporting and facilitating movement in the upper trunk, remains relatively scarce. Consequently, our comprehension of the functional differentiation exhibited throughout the thoracolumbar vertebral column among various primate species remains constrained. In this study, we examined patterns of morphological variation in the thoracolumbar vertebral column of extant hominoids, cercopithecoids, and Ateles. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected external shape data on 606 thoracic and lumbar vertebrae from Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Hylobates lar, Macaca fuscata, Chlorocebus aethiops, Colobus guereza, Ateles geoffroyi, and A. belzebuth. Forty-four landmarks were obtained on the three-dimensional surface. Geometric morphometrics was used to quantify the centroid size and variation of the shapes of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. RESULTS Cercopithecoids exhibited greater variation in the size and shape of their thoracic and lumbar vertebrae compared to hominoids and Ateles. Although many vertebral features contributed to the observed variation throughout the thoracolumbar vertebral column within the taxon, the transverse and spinous processes exhibited relatively major contributions. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that quadrupedal locomotion requires the functional differentiation between thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and for hominoids, functional adaptation to orthograde posture necessitates a relatively more uniform shape of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kinoshita
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Eishi Hirasaki
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
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2
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Kinoshita Y, Hirasaki E. Range of rotation of thoracolumbar vertebrae in Japanese macaques. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:223-232. [PMID: 37289013 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In humans, the range of thoracic vertebral rotation is known to be greater than that of the lumbar vertebrae due to their zygapophyseal orientation and soft tissue structure. However, little is known regarding vertebral movements in non-human primate species, which are primarily quadrupedal walkers. To understand the evolutionary background of human vertebral movements, this study estimated the range of axial rotation of the thoracolumbar spine in macaque monkeys. First, computed tomography (CT) was performed while passively rotating the trunk of whole-body cadavers of Japanese macaques, after which the motion of each thoracolumbar vertebra was estimated. Second, to evaluate the influence of the shoulder girdle and surrounding soft tissues, specimens with only bones and ligaments were prepared, after which the rotation of each vertebra was estimated using an optical motion tracking system. In both conditions, the three-dimensional coordinates of each vertebra were digitized, and the axial rotational angles between adjacent vertebrae were calculated. In the whole-body condition, the lower thoracic vertebrae had a greater range of rotation than did the other regions, similar to that observed in humans. In addition, absolute values for the range of rotation were similar between humans and macaques. However, in the bone-ligament preparation condition, the upper thoracic vertebrae had a range of rotation similar to that of the lower thoracic vertebrae. Contrary to previous speculations, our results showed that the mechanical restrictions by the ribs were not as significant; rather, the shoulder girdle largely restricted the rotation of the upper thoracic vertebrae, at least, in macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kinoshita
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Eishi Hirasaki
- Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
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3
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Spear JK, Grabowski M, Sekhavati Y, Costa CE, Goldstein DM, Petrullo LA, Peterson AL, Lee AB, Shattuck MR, Gómez-Olivencia A, Williams SA. Evolution of vertebral numbers in primates, with a focus on hominoids and the last common ancestor of hominins and panins. J Hum Evol 2023; 179:103359. [PMID: 37099927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
The primate vertebral column has been extensively studied, with a particular focus on hominoid primates and the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees. The number of vertebrae in hominoids-up to and including the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees-is subject to considerable debate. However, few formal ancestral state reconstructions exist, and none include a broad sample of primates or account for the correlated evolution of the vertebral column. Here, we conduct an ancestral state reconstruction using a model of evolution that accounts for both homeotic (changes of one type of vertebra to another) and meristic (addition or loss of a vertebra) changes. Our results suggest that ancestral primates were characterized by 29 precaudal vertebrae, with the most common formula being seven cervical, 13 thoracic, six lumbar, and three sacral vertebrae. Extant hominoids evolved tail loss and a reduced lumbar column via sacralization (homeotic transition at the last lumbar vertebra). Our results also indicate that the ancestral hylobatid had seven cervical, 13 thoracic, five lumbar, and four sacral vertebrae, and the ancestral hominid had seven cervical, 13 thoracic, four lumbar, and five sacral vertebrae. The last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees likely either retained this ancestral hominid formula or was characterized by an additional sacral vertebra, possibly acquired through a homeotic shift at the sacrococcygeal border. Our results support the 'short-back' model of hominin vertebral evolution, which postulates that hominins evolved from an ancestor with an African ape-like numerical composition of the vertebral column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey K Spear
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Mark Grabowski
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Paleoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK; Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yeganeh Sekhavati
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christina E Costa
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deanna M Goldstein
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Lauren A Petrullo
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amy L Peterson
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA
| | - Amanda B Lee
- Data Scientist, Jellyfish, Suite 3033, 220 N Green St, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Asier Gómez-Olivencia
- Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena S/n, 48940 Bilbao, Spain; Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Zorroagagaina 11, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; Centro UCM-ISCIII de Investigación Sobre Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Avda. Monforte de Lemos 5 (Pabellón 14), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Scott A Williams
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
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Functional anatomy and adaptation of the third to sixth thoracic vertebrae in primates using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Primates 2021; 62:845-855. [PMID: 34245393 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00929-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The morphology of the cranial thoracic vertebrae has long been neglected in the study of primate skeletal functional morphology. This study explored the characteristics of the third to sixth thoracic vertebrae among various positional behavioural primates. A total of 67 skeletal samples from four species of hominoids, four of cercopithecoids, and two of platyrrhines were used. Computed tomography images of the thoracic vertebrae were converted to a three-dimensional (3D) bone surface, and 104 landmarks were obtained on the 3D surface. For size-independent shape analysis, the vertebrae were scaled to the same centroid size, and the normalised landmarks were registered using the generalised Procrustes method. Principle components of shape variation among samples were clarified using the variance-covariance matrix of the Procrustes residuals. The present study revealed that the transverse processes were more dorsally positioned in hominoids compared to non-hominoids. The results showed that not only a dorsolaterally oriented but also a dorsally positioned transverse process in relation to the vertebral arch contribute to the greater dorsal depth in hominoids than in monkeys. The thoracic vertebrae of Ateles and Nasalis show relatively dorsoventrally low and craniocaudally long vertebrae with craniocaudally long zygapophyses and craniocaudally long base/short tip of the caudally oriented spinous process, accompanied by a laterally oriented and craniocaudally long base of the transverse process. Despite being phylogenetically separated, the vertebral features of Ateles (suspensory platyrrhine with its prehensile tail's aid) are similar to those of Nasalis (arboreal quadrupedal/jumping/arm-swing colobine). The morphology of the third to sixth thoracic vertebrae tends to reflect the functional adaptation in relation to positional behaviour rather than the phylogenetic characteristics of hominoids, cercopithecoids, and platyrrhines.
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Carter AM, Hsieh ST, Dodson P, Sallan L. Early amphibians evolved distinct vertebrae for habitat invasions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251983. [PMID: 34106947 PMCID: PMC8189462 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Living tetrapods owe their existence to a critical moment 360-340 million years ago when their ancestors walked on land. Vertebrae are central to locomotion, yet systematic testing of correlations between vertebral form and terrestriality and subsequent reinvasions of aquatic habitats is lacking, obscuring our understanding of movement capabilities in early tetrapods. Here, we quantified vertebral shape across a diverse group of Paleozoic amphibians (Temnospondyli) encompassing different habitats and nearly the full range of early tetrapod vertebral shapes. We demonstrate that temnospondyls were likely ancestrally terrestrial and had several early reinvasions of aquatic habitats. We find a greater diversity in temnospondyl vertebrae than previously known. We also overturn long-held hypotheses centered on weight-bearing, showing that neural arch features, including muscle attachment, were plastic across the water-land divide and do not provide a clear signal of habitat preferences. In contrast, intercentra traits were critical, with temnospondyls repeatedly converging on distinct forms in terrestrial and aquatic taxa, with little overlap between. Through our geometric morphometric study, we have been able to document associations between vertebral shape and environmental preferences in Paleozoic tetrapods and to reveal morphological constraints imposed by vertebrae to locomotion, independent of ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aja Mia Carter
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - S. Tonia Hsieh
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Peter Dodson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Lauren Sallan
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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Machnicki AL, Reno PL. Great apes and humans evolved from a long-backed ancestor. J Hum Evol 2020; 144:102791. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Plomp KA, Dobney K, Weston DA, Strand Viðarsdóttir U, Collard M. 3D shape analyses of extant primate and fossil hominin vertebrae support the ancestral shape hypothesis for intervertebral disc herniation. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:226. [PMID: 31842740 PMCID: PMC6916256 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1550-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently we proposed an evolutionary explanation for a spinal pathology that afflicts many people, intervertebral disc herniation (Plomp et al. [2015] BMC Evolutionary Biology 15, 68). Using 2D data, we found that the bodies and pedicles of lower vertebrae of pathological humans were more similar in shape to those of chimpanzees than were those of healthy humans. Based on this, we hypothesized that some individuals are more prone to intervertebral disc herniation because their vertebrae exhibit ancestral traits and therefore are less well adapted for the stresses associated with bipedalism. Here, we report a study in which we tested this "Ancestral Shape Hypothesis" with 3D data from the last two thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae of pathological Homo sapiens, healthy H. sapiens, Pan troglodytes, and several extinct hominins. RESULTS We found that the pathological and healthy H. sapiens vertebrae differed significantly in shape, and that the pathological H. sapiens vertebrae were closer in shape to the P. troglodytes vertebrae than were the healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. Additionally, we found that the pathological human vertebrae were generally more similar in shape to the vertebrae of the extinct hominins than were the healthy H. sapiens vertebrae. These results are consistent with the predictions of the Ancestral Shape Hypothesis. Several vertebral traits were associated with disc herniation, including a vertebral body that is both more circular and more ventrally wedged, relatively short pedicles and laminae, relatively long, more cranio-laterally projecting transverse processes, and relatively long, cranially-oriented spinous processes. We found that there are biomechanical and comparative anatomical reasons for suspecting that all of these traits are capable of predisposing individuals to intervertebral disc herniation. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study add weight to the hypothesis that intervertebral disc herniation in H. sapiens is connected with vertebral shape. Specifically, they suggest that individuals whose vertebrae are towards the ancestral end of the range of shape variation within H. sapiens have a greater propensity to develop the condition than other individuals. More generally, the study shows that evolutionary thinking has the potential to shed new light on human skeletal pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.,Department of Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, St Mary's, Elphinstone Road, Scotland, UK, AB24 3UF, Aberdeen
| | - Darlene A Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Una Strand Viðarsdóttir
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Læknagarður, Vatnsmýrarvegi 16, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Plomp K, Viðarsdóttir US, Dobney K, Weston D, Collard M. Potential adaptations for bipedalism in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of Homo sapiens: A 3D comparative analysis. J Hum Evol 2019; 137:102693. [PMID: 31711026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A number of putative adaptations for bipedalism have been identified in the hominin spine. However, it is possible that some have been overlooked because only a few studies have used 3D and these studies have focused on cervical vertebrae. With this in mind, we used geometric morphometric techniques to compare the 3D shapes of three thoracic and two lumbar vertebrae of Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, and Pongo pygmaeus. The study had two goals. One was to confirm the existence of traits previously reported to distinguish the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of H. sapiens from those of the great apes. The other was to, if possible, identify hitherto undescribed traits that differentiate H. sapiens thoracic and lumbar vertebrae from those of the great apes. Both goals were accomplished. Our analyses not only substantiated a number of traits that have previously been discussed in the literature but also identified four traits that have not been described before: (1) dorsoventrally shorter pedicles in the upper thoracic vertebrae; (2) dorsoventrally longer laminae in all five of the vertebrae examined; (3) longer transverse processes in the upper thoracic vertebrae; and (4) craniocaudally 'pinched' spinous process tips in all of the vertebrae examined. A review of the biomechanical literature suggests that most of the traits highlighted in our analyses can be plausibly linked to bipedalism, including three of the four new ones. As such, the present study not only sheds further light on the differences between the spines of H. sapiens and great apes but also enhances our understanding of how the shift to bipedalism affected the hominin vertebral column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Plomp
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK.
| | - Una Strand Viðarsdóttir
- Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Læknagarður, Vatnsmýrarvegi 16, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, 14 Abercromby Square, Liverpool, L69 7WZ, UK
| | - Darlene Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Mark Collard
- Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Nalley TK, Scott JE, Ward CV, Alemseged Z. Comparative morphology and ontogeny of the thoracolumbar transition in great apes, humans, and fossil hominins. J Hum Evol 2019; 134:102632. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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10
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Williams SA, Spear JK, Petrullo L, Goldstein DM, Lee AB, Peterson AL, Miano DA, Kaczmarek EB, Shattuck MR. Increased variation in numbers of presacral vertebrae in suspensory mammals. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:949-956. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0894-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Vander Linden A, Hedrick BP, Kamilar JM, Dumont ER. Atlas morphology, scaling and locomotor behaviour in primates, rodents and relatives (Mammalia: Euarchontoglires). Zool J Linn Soc 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abby Vander Linden
- Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Brandon P Hedrick
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jason M Kamilar
- Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Dumont
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
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12
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Larson SG. Nonhuman Primate Locomotion. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:705-725. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan G. Larson
- Department of Anatomical Sciences; Stony Brook University School of Medicine; Stony Brook New York 11794-8081
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13
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Thompson NE, Almécija S. The evolution of vertebral formulae in Hominoidea. J Hum Evol 2017; 110:18-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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14
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Functional analyses of the primate upper cervical vertebral column. J Hum Evol 2017; 107:19-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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15
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Thoracic vertebral count and thoracolumbar transition in Australopithecus afarensis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:6000-6004. [PMID: 28533391 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1702229114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the human pattern of axial segmentation has been the focus of considerable discussion in paleoanthropology. Although several complete lumbar vertebral columns are known for early hominins, to date, no complete cervical or thoracic series has been recovered. Several partial skeletons have revealed that the thoracolumbar transition in early hominins differed from that of most extant apes and humans. Australopithecus africanus, Australopithecus sediba, and Homo erectus all had zygapophyseal facets that shift from thoracic-like to lumbar-like at the penultimate rib-bearing level, rather than the ultimate rib-bearing level, as in most humans and extant African apes. What has not been clear is whether Australopithecus had 12 thoracic vertebrae as in most humans, or 13 as in most African apes, and where the position of the thoracolumbar transitional element was. The discovery, preparation, and synchrotron scanning of the Australopithecus afarensis partial skeleton DIK-1-1, from Dikika, Ethiopia, provides the only known complete hominin cervical and thoracic vertebral column before 60,000 years ago. DIK-1-1 is the only known Australopithecus skeleton to preserve all seven cervical vertebrae and provides evidence for 12 thoracic vertebrae with a transition in facet morphology at the 11th thoracic level. The location of this transition, one segment cranial to the ultimate rib-bearing vertebra, also occurs in all other early hominins and is higher than in most humans or extant apes. At 3.3 million years ago, the DIK-1-1 skeleton is the earliest example of this distinctive and unusual pattern of axial segmentation.
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Castillo ER, Hsu C, Mair RW, Lieberman DE. Testing biomechanical models of human lumbar lordosis variability. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 163:110-121. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Castillo
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts 02138
| | - Connie Hsu
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts 02138
| | - Ross W. Mair
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts 02138
| | - Daniel E. Lieberman
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts 02138
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17
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Ohlsson M, Nieto JH, Christe KL, Villablanca JP, Havton LA. Radiographic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Identification of Thoracolumbar Spine Variants with Implications for the Positioning of the Conus Medullaris in Rhesus Macaques. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2016; 300:300-308. [PMID: 27731939 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The anatomy of the vertebral column in mammals may differ between species and between subjects of the same species, especially with regards to the composition of the thoracolumbar spine. We investigated, using several noninvasive imaging techniques, the thoracolumbar spine of a total of 44 adult rhesus macaques of both genders. Radiographic examination of the vertebral column showed a predominant spine phenotype with 12 rib-bearing thoracic vertebrae and 7 lumbar vertebrae without ribs in 82% of subjects, whereas a subset of subjects demonstrated 13 rib-bearing thoracic vertebrae and 6 lumbar vertebrae without ribs. Computer tomography studies of the thoraco-lumbar spine in two cases with a pair of supernumerary ribs showed facet joints between the most caudal pair of ribs and the associated vertebra, supporting a thoracic phenotype. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were used to determine the relationship between the lumbosacral spinal cord and the vertebral column. The length of the conus medullaris portion of the spinal cord was 1.5 ± 0.3 vertebral units, and its rostral and caudal positions in the spinal canal were at 2.0 ± 0.3 and 3.6 ± 0.4 vertebral units below the thoracolumbar junction, respectively (n = 44). The presence of a set of supernumerary ribs did not affect the length or craniocaudal position of the conus medullaris, and subjects with13 rib-bearing vertebrae may from a functional or spine surgical perspective be considered as exhibiting12 thoracic vertebrae and an L1 vertebra with ribs. Anat Rec, 300:300-308, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Ohlsson
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Divisions of Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jaime H Nieto
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kari L Christe
- California National Primate Research Center, UC Davis, Davis, California
| | - J Pablo Villablanca
- Department of Radiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Leif A Havton
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California
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Oliver JD, Jones KE, Hautier L, Loughry WJ, Pierce SE. Vertebral bending mechanics and xenarthrous morphology in the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:2991-3002. [PMID: 27473436 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.142331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The vertebral column has evolved to accommodate the broad range of locomotor pressures found across vertebrate lineages. Xenarthran (armadillos, sloths and anteaters) vertebral columns are characterized by xenarthrous articulations, novel intervertebral articulations located in the posterior trunk that are hypothesized to stiffen the vertebral column to facilitate digging. To determine the degree to which xenarthrous articulations impact vertebral movement, we passively measured compliance and range of motion during ventroflexion, dorsiflexion and lateral bending across the thoracolumbar region of the nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus Patterns of bending were compared with changes in vertebral morphology along the column to determine which morphological features best predict intervertebral joint mechanics. We found that compliance was lower in post-diaphragmatic, xenarthrous vertebrae relative to pre-xenarthrous vertebrae in both sagittal and lateral planes of bending. However, we also found that range of motion was higher in this region. These changes in mechanics are correlated with the transition from pre-xenarthrous to xenarthrous vertebrae, as well as with the transition from thoracic to lumbar vertebrae. Our results thus substantiate the hypothesis that xenarthrous articulations stiffen the vertebral column. Additionally, our data suggest that xenarthrous articulations, and their associated enlarged metapophyses, also act to increase the range of motion of the post-diaphragmatic region. We propose that xenarthrous articulations perform the dual role of stiffening the vertebral column and increasing mobility, resulting in passively stable vertebrae that are capable of substantial bending under appropriate loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian D Oliver
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Katrina E Jones
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR 5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - W J Loughry
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA 31698-0015, USA
| | - Stephanie E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Williams SA, Middleton ER, Villamil CI, Shattuck MR. Vertebral numbers and human evolution. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 159:S19-36. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Williams
- Department of Anthropology; Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University; New York NY 10003
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
| | - Emily R. Middleton
- Department of Anthropology; Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University; New York NY 10003
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
| | - Catalina I. Villamil
- Department of Anthropology; Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University; New York NY 10003
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
| | - Milena R. Shattuck
- Department of Anthropology; Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University; New York NY 10003
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY
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20
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Russo GA, Williams SA. Giant pandas (Carnivora: Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and living hominoids converge on lumbar vertebral adaptations to orthograde trunk posture. J Hum Evol 2015; 88:160-179. [PMID: 26341032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Living hominoids share a common body plan characterized by a gradient of derived postcranial features that distinguish them from their closest living relatives, cercopithecoid monkeys. However, the evolutionary scenario(s) that led to the derived postcranial features of hominoids are uncertain. Explanations are complicated by the fact that living hominoids vary considerably in positional behaviors, and some Miocene hominoids are morphologically, and therefore probably behaviorally, distinct from modern hominoids. Comparative studies that aim to identify morphologies associated with specific components of positional behavioral repertoires are an important avenue of research that can improve our understanding of the evolution and adaptive significance of the hominoid postcranium. Here, we employ a comparative approach to offer additional insight into the evolution of the hominoid lumbar vertebral column. Specifically, we tested whether giant pandas (Carnivora: Ailuropoda melanoleuca) converge with living hominoids on lumbar vertebral adaptations to the single component of their respective positional behavioral repertoires that they share--orthograde (i.e., upright) trunk posture. We compare lumbar vertebral morphologies of Ailuropoda to those of other living ursids and caniform outgroups (northern raccoons and gray wolves). Mirroring known differences between living hominoids and cercopithecoids, Ailuropoda generally exhibits fewer, craniocaudally shorter lumbar vertebrae with more dorsally positioned transverse processes that are more dorsally oriented and laterally directed, and taller, more caudally directed spinous processes than other caniforms in the sample. Our comparative evidence lends support to a potential evolutionary scenario in which the acquisition of hominoid-like lumbar vertebral morphologies may have evolved for generalized orthograde behaviors and could have been exapted for suspensory behavior in crown hominoids and for other locomotor specializations (e.g., brachiation) in extant lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Russo
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Scott A Williams
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10024, USA; Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, South Africa.
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Jones KE. Preliminary data on the effect of osseous anatomy on ex vivo joint mobility in the equine thoracolumbar region. Equine Vet J 2015; 48:502-8. [PMID: 25980342 DOI: 10.1111/evj.12461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY The thoracolumbar region is clinically important in horses; however, the link between joint mobility and bony joint morphology has not been tested quantitatively. OBJECTIVES To establish which aspects of vertebral morphology correlate with ex vivo range of motion in the thoracolumbar region of Equus caballus, and demonstrate methodologies for linking vertebral form and function. STUDY DESIGN Morphometric study of osteological specimens. METHODS A digital model was created of a disarticulated thoracolumbar region to examine bone-to-bone interactions during in silico bending. Linear measurements and geometric morphometric landmarks were taken from 6 vertebrae per specimen (specimens n = 5, vertebrae n = 30), and compared with experimental range of motion in dorsiflexion, ventroflexion, lateroflexion and axial rotation data using Spearman's rank correlation, to test a priori hypotheses regarding thoracolumbar functional anatomy. RESULTS Decreased sagittal mobility correlates with a tall, heart-shaped vertebral body, although bony interactions restrict dorsiflexion more than ventroflexion. Lateroflexion correlates with a narrow vertebral body, a short transverse process lever arm, and narrowly placed horizontally oriented zygapophyses. Lateral joints also restrict lateroflexion in the posterior lumbar region. Axial rotation is related to the shape of the zygapophyseal joint. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data suggest that vertebral joint morphology does determine experimentally measured range of motion, but patterns depend upon the type of motion. These methods are useful for identifying functionally relevant morphological variation and suggest osteological features are important in determining motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Jones
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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22
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Plomp KA, Viðarsdóttir US, Weston DA, Dobney K, Collard M. The ancestral shape hypothesis: an evolutionary explanation for the occurrence of intervertebral disc herniation in humans. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:68. [PMID: 25927934 PMCID: PMC4410577 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0336-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent studies suggest there is a relationship between intervertebral disc herniation and vertebral shape. The nature of this relationship is unclear, however. Humans are more commonly afflicted with spinal disease than are non-human primates and one suggested explanation for this is the stress placed on the spine by bipedalism. With this in mind, we carried out a study of human, chimpanzee, and orangutan vertebrae to examine the links between vertebral shape, locomotion, and Schmorl’s nodes, which are bony indicators of vertical intervertebral disc herniation. We tested the hypothesis that vertical disc herniation preferentially affects individuals with vertebrae that are towards the ancestral end of the range of shape variation within Homo sapiens and therefore are less well adapted for bipedalism. Results The study employed geometric morphometric techniques. Two-dimensional landmarks were used to capture the shapes of the superior aspect of the body and posterior elements of the last thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae of chimpanzees, orangutans, and humans with and without Schmorl’s nodes. These data were subjected to multivariate statistical analyses. Canonical Variates Analysis indicated that the last thoracic and first lumbar vertebrae of healthy humans, chimpanzees, and orangutans can be distinguished from each other (p<0.028), but vertebrae of pathological humans and chimpanzees cannot (p>0.4590). The Procrustes distance between pathological humans and chimpanzees was found to be smaller than the one between pathological and healthy humans. This was the case for both vertebrae. Pair-wise MANOVAs of Principal Component scores for both the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae found significant differences between all pairs of taxa (p<0.029), except pathological humans vs chimpanzees (p>0.367). Together, these results suggest that human vertebrae with Schmorl’s nodes are closer in shape to chimpanzee vertebrae than are healthy human vertebrae. Conclusions The results support the hypothesis that intervertebral disc herniation preferentially affects individuals with vertebrae that are towards the ancestral end of the range of shape variation within H. sapiens and therefore are less well adapted for bipedalism. This finding not only has clinical implications but also illustrates the benefits of bringing the tools of evolutionary biology to bear on problems in medicine and public health. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0336-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Plomp
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program and Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
| | | | - Darlene A Weston
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. .,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
| | - Mark Collard
- Human Evolutionary Studies Program and Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada. .,Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
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Nalley TK, Grider-Potter N. Functional morphology of the primate head and neck. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 156:531-42. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2014] [Revised: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thierra K. Nalley
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Anthropology; California Academy of Sciences; 55 Music Concourse Dr San Francisco CA 94118
- Department of Anthropology; Southern Illinois University; Faner Hall, Carbondale IL 62901
| | - Neysa Grider-Potter
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change; Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University; Tempe AZ 85287-4101
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24
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Williams SA, Russo GA. Evolution of the hominoid vertebral column: The long and the short of it. Evol Anthropol 2015; 24:15-32. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.21437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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25
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Lewton KL. Pelvic Form and Locomotor Adaptation in Strepsirrhine Primates. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 298:230-48. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristi L. Lewton
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Boston University School of Medicine; Boston Massachusetts
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge Massachusetts
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26
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Russo GA, Williams SA. “Lucy” (A.L. 288-1) had five sacral vertebrae. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 156:295-303. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A. Russo
- Department of Anthropology and IDPAS; Stony Brook University; Stony Brook NY 11794
| | - Scott A. Williams
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology; New York University; New York NY 10003
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology; New York NY 10024
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and Centre for Excellence in PalaeoSciences, University of the Witwatersrand; Wits 2050 South Africa
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Russo GA. Postsacral Vertebral Morphology in Relation to Tail Length Among Primates and Other Mammals. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 298:354-75. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A. Russo
- Department of Anthropology; Stony Brook University; Stony Brook New York 11794-8081 USA
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28
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Deane AS, Russo GA, Muchlinski MN, Organ JM. Caudal vertebral body articular surface morphology correlates with functional tail use in anthropoid primates. J Morphol 2014; 275:1300-11. [PMID: 24916635 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2013] [Revised: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Prehensile tails, capable of suspending the entire body weight of an animal, have evolved in parallel in New World monkeys (Platyrrhini): once in the Atelinae (Alouatta, Ateles, Brachyteles, Lagothrix), and once in the Cebinae (Cebus, Sapajus). Structurally, the prehensile tails of atelines and cebines share morphological features that distinguish them from nonprehensile tails, including longer proximal tail regions, well-developed hemal processes, robust caudal vertebrae resistant to higher torsional and bending stresses, and caudal musculature capable of producing higher contractile forces. The functional significance of shape variation in the articular surfaces of caudal vertebral bodies, however, is relatively less well understood. Given that tail use differs considerably among prehensile and nonprehensile anthropoids, it is reasonable to predict that caudal vertebral body articular surface area and shape will respond to use-specific patterns of mechanical loading. We examine the potential for intervertebral articular surface contour curvature and relative surface area to discriminate between prehensile-tailed and nonprehensile-tailed platyrrhines and cercopithecoids. The proximal and distal intervertebral articular surfaces of the first (Ca1), transitional and longest caudal vertebrae were examined for individuals representing 10 anthropoid taxa with differential patterns of tail-use. Study results reveal significant morphological differences consistent with the functional demands of unique patterns of tail use for all vertebral elements sampled. Prehensile-tailed platyrrhines that more frequently use their tails in suspension (atelines) had significantly larger and more convex intervertebral articular surfaces than all nonprehensile-tailed anthropoids examined here, although the intervertebral articular surface contour curvatures of large, terrestrial cercopithecoids (i.e., Papio sp.) converge on the ateline condition. Prehensile-tailed platyrrhines that more often use their tails in tripodal bracing postures (cebines) are morphologically intermediate between atelines and nonprehensile tailed anthropoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Deane
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, MN 224 UK Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky, 40536
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29
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Villalba RM, Smith Y. Differential striatal spine pathology in Parkinson's disease and cocaine addiction: a key role of dopamine? Neuroscience 2013; 251:2-20. [PMID: 23867772 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
In the striatum, the dendritic tree of the two main populations of projection neurons, called "medium spiny neurons (MSNs)", are covered with spines that receive glutamatergic inputs from the cerebral cortex and thalamus. In Parkinson's disease (PD), striatal MSNs undergo an important loss of dendritic spines, whereas aberrant overgrowth of striatal spines occurs following chronic cocaine exposure. This review examines the possibility that opposite dopamine dysregulation is one of the key factors that underlies these structural changes. In PD, nigrostriatal dopamine degeneration results in a significant loss of dendritic spines in the dorsal striatum, while rodents chronically exposed to cocaine and other psychostimulants, display an increase in the density of "thin and immature" spines in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In rodent models of PD, there is evidence that D2 dopamine receptor-containing MSNs are preferentially affected, while D1-positive cells are the main targets of increased spine density in models of addiction. However, such specificity remains to be established in primates. Although the link between the extent of striatal spine changes and the behavioral deficits associated with these disorders remains controversial, there is unequivocal evidence that glutamatergic synaptic transmission is significantly altered in both diseased conditions. Recent studies have suggested that opposite calcium-mediated regulation of the transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) function induces these structural defects. In conclusion, there is strong evidence that dopamine is a major, but not the sole, regulator of striatal spine pathology in PD and addiction to psychostimulants. Further studies of the role of glutamate and other genes associated with spine plasticity in mediating these effects are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Villalba
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954, Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; UDALL Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease, Emory University, 954, Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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Williams SA, Ostrofsky KR, Frater N, Churchill SE, Schmid P, Berger LR. The Vertebral Column of Australopithecus sediba. Science 2013; 340:1232996. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1232996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Williams SA. Placement of the diaphragmatic vertebra in catarrhines: Implications for the evolution of dorsostability in hominoids and bipedalism in hominins. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 148:111-22. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2011] [Accepted: 02/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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