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Niu M, Rapan L, Froudist-Walsh S, Zhao L, Funck T, Amunts K, Palomero-Gallagher N. Multimodal mapping of macaque monkey somatosensory cortex. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 239:102633. [PMID: 38830482 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The somatosensory cortex is a brain region responsible for receiving and processing sensory information from across the body and is structurally and functionally heterogeneous. Since the chemoarchitectonic segregation of the cerebral cortex can be revealed by transmitter receptor distribution patterns, by using a quantitative multireceptor architectonical analysis, we determined the number and extent of distinct areas of the macaque somatosensory cortex. We identified three architectonically distinct cortical entities within the primary somatosensory cortex (i.e., 3bm, 3bli, 3ble), four within the anterior parietal cortex (i.e., 3am, 3al, 1 and 2) and six subdivisions (i.e., S2l, S2m, PVl, PVm, PRl and PRm) within the lateral fissure. We provide an ultra-high resolution 3D atlas of macaque somatosensory areas in stereotaxic space, which integrates cyto- and receptor architectonic features of identified areas. Multivariate analyses of the receptor fingerprints revealed four clusters of identified areas based on the degree of (dis)similarity of their receptor architecture. Each of these clusters can be associated with distinct levels of somatosensory processing, further demonstrating that the functional segregation of cortical areas is underpinned by differences in their molecular organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiqi Niu
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Lucija Rapan
- C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Seán Froudist-Walsh
- Bristol Computational Neuroscience Unit, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ling Zhao
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Thomas Funck
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katrin Amunts
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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2
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Eichner C, Paquette M, Müller-Axt C, Bock C, Budinger E, Gräßle T, Jäger C, Kirilina E, Lipp I, Morawski M, Rusch H, Wenk P, Weiskopf N, Wittig RM, Crockford C, Friederici AD, Anwander A. Detailed mapping of the complex fiber structure and white matter pathways of the chimpanzee brain. Nat Methods 2024; 21:1122-1130. [PMID: 38831210 PMCID: PMC11166572 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-024-02270-1] [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: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Long-standing questions about human brain evolution may only be resolved through comparisons with close living evolutionary relatives, such as chimpanzees. This applies in particular to structural white matter (WM) connectivity, which continuously expanded throughout evolution. However, due to legal restrictions on chimpanzee research, neuroscience research currently relies largely on data with limited detail or on comparisons with evolutionarily distant monkeys. Here, we present a detailed magnetic resonance imaging resource to study structural WM connectivity in the chimpanzee. This open-access resource contains (1) WM reconstructions of a postmortem chimpanzee brain, using the highest-quality diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data yet acquired from great apes; (2) an optimized and validated method for high-quality fiber orientation reconstructions; and (3) major fiber tract segmentations for cross-species morphological comparisons. This dataset enabled us to identify phylogenetically relevant details of the chimpanzee connectome, and we anticipate that it will substantially contribute to understanding human brain evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelius Eichner
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Michael Paquette
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christa Müller-Axt
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Bock
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Eike Budinger
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Combinatorial NeuroImaging Core Facility, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioural Neurosciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Gräßle
- Ecology and Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases, Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Carsten Jäger
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Paul Flechsig Institute - Centre of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Berlin, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilona Lipp
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Morawski
- Paul Flechsig Institute - Centre of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Henriette Rusch
- Paul Flechsig Institute - Centre of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Patricia Wenk
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Combinatorial NeuroImaging Core Facility, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Lyon, France
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Lyon, France
| | - Angela D Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alfred Anwander
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Pittella JEH. The uniqueness of the human brain: a review. Dement Neuropsychol 2024; 18:e20230078. [PMID: 38628563 PMCID: PMC11019715 DOI: 10.1590/1980-5764-dn-2023-0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to highlight the most important aspects of the anatomical and functional uniqueness of the human brain. For this, a comparison is made between our brains and those of our closest ancestors (chimpanzees and bonobos) and human ancestors. During human evolution, several changes occurred in the brain, such as an absolute increase in brain size and number of cortical neurons, in addition to a greater degree of functional lateralization and anatomical asymmetry. Also, the cortical cytoarchitecture became more diversified and there was an increase in the number of intracortical networks and networks extending from the cerebral cortex to subcortical structures, with more neural networks being invested in multisensory and sensory-motor-affective-cognitive integration. These changes permitted more complex, flexible and versatile cognitive abilities and social behavior, such as shared intentionality and symbolic articulated language, which, in turn, made possible the formation of larger social groups and cumulative cultural evolution that are characteristic of our species.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Eymard Homem Pittella
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Anatomia Patológica e Medicina Legal, Belo Horizonte MG, Brazil
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Levy R. The prefrontal cortex: from monkey to man. Brain 2024; 147:794-815. [PMID: 37972282 PMCID: PMC10907097 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex is so important to human beings that, if deprived of it, our behaviour is reduced to action-reactions and automatisms, with no ability to make deliberate decisions. Why does the prefrontal cortex hold such importance in humans? In answer, this review draws on the proximity between humans and other primates, which enables us, through comparative anatomical-functional analysis, to understand the cognitive functions we have in common and specify those that distinguish humans from their closest cousins. First, a focus on the lateral region of the prefrontal cortex illustrates the existence of a continuum between rhesus monkeys (the most studied primates in neuroscience) and humans for most of the major cognitive functions in which this region of the brain plays a central role. This continuum involves the presence of elementary mental operations in the rhesus monkey (e.g. working memory or response inhibition) that are constitutive of 'macro-functions' such as planning, problem-solving and even language production. Second, the human prefrontal cortex has developed dramatically compared to that of other primates. This increase seems to concern the most anterior part (the frontopolar cortex). In humans, the development of the most anterior prefrontal cortex is associated with three major and interrelated cognitive changes: (i) a greater working memory capacity, allowing for greater integration of past experiences and prospective futures; (ii) a greater capacity to link discontinuous or distant data, whether temporal or semantic; and (iii) a greater capacity for abstraction, allowing humans to classify knowledge in different ways, to engage in analogical reasoning or to acquire abstract values that give rise to our beliefs and morals. Together, these new skills enable us, among other things, to develop highly sophisticated social interactions based on language, enabling us to conceive beliefs and moral judgements and to conceptualize, create and extend our vision of our environment beyond what we can physically grasp. Finally, a model of the transition of prefrontal functions between humans and non-human primates concludes this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Levy
- AP–HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Department of Neurology, Sorbonne Université, Institute of Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease, 75013 Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1127, CNRS 7225, Paris Brain Institute- ICM, 75013 Paris, France
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5
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Bardo A, Filippo A, Balzeau A. Lateralized behaviors in living humans: Application in the context of hominin brain evolution. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:143-164. [PMID: 36841567 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The left and right hemispheres of our brains differ subtly in structure, and each is dominant in processing specific cognitive tasks. Our species has a unique system of distributing behavior and cognition between each cerebral hemisphere, with a preponderance of pronounced side biases and lateralized functions. This hemisphere-dependent relationship between cognitive, sensory or motor function and a set of brain structures is called hemispheric specialization. Hemispheric specialization has led to the emergence of model systems to link anatomical asymmetries to brain function and behavior. Scientific research on hemispheric specialization and lateralized functions in living humans focuses on three major domains: (1) hand preferences, (2) language, and (3) visuospatial skills and attention. In this chapter we present an overview of this research with a specific focus on living humans and the applications of this research in the context of hominin brain evolution. Our objective is to put into perspective what we know about brain-behavior relationships in living humans and how we can apply the same methods to investigate this relationship in fossil hominin species, and thus improve our understanding of the emergence and development of complex cognitive abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameline Bardo
- UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN, Département Homme et Environnement, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France; Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom.
| | - Andréa Filippo
- UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN, Département Homme et Environnement, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Balzeau
- UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN, Département Homme et Environnement, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France; Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium & Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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6
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Vallejo-Azar MN, Alba-Ferrara L, Bouzigues A, Princich JP, Markov M, Bendersky M, Gonzalez PN. Influence of accessory sulci of the frontoparietal operculum on gray matter quantification. Front Neuroanat 2023; 16:1022758. [PMID: 37089581 PMCID: PMC10117380 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.1022758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The perisylvian region is the cortical core of language and speech. Several accessory sulci have been described in this area, whose presence could modify the results of the automatic quantification of gray matter by popularly used software. This study aimed to assess the expression of accessory sulci in the frontoparietal operculum (FPO) and to evaluate their influence on the gray matter volume estimated by an automatic parcellation of cortical gyri and sulci. Methods: Brain MRI scans of 100 healthy adult volunteers were visually analyzed. The existence of the triangular and diagonal sulci, and the number of accessory sulci in the frontoparietal operculum, were assessed on T1 images. Also, the gray matter volume of gyri and sulci was quantified by an automatized parcellation method. Interhemispheric differences in accessory sulci were evaluated with Chi-square and Wilcoxon paired tests. The effects of the hemisphere, sex, age, total intracranial volume, and accessory sulci on morphometric variables were assessed by linear models. Results: These sulci were found in more than half of the subjects, mostly in the left hemisphere, and showed a significant effect on the gray matter content of the FPO. In particular, the volume of the inferior frontal sulcus, pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus, horizontal ramus of the lateral sulcus, angular gyrus, and postcentral gyrus showed a significant influence on the presence of accessory sulci. Discussion: The prevalence of tertiary sulci in the FPO is high, although their meaning is not yet known. Therefore, they should be considered to reduce the risk of misclassifications of normal variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana N. Vallejo-Azar
- Unidad de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, CONICET, Hospital El Cruce Dr, “Néstor C. Kirchner”, Universidad Arturo Jauretche, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucia Alba-Ferrara
- Unidad de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, CONICET, Hospital El Cruce Dr, “Néstor C. Kirchner”, Universidad Arturo Jauretche, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Arabella Bouzigues
- INSERM U1127, Institut du cerveau, Sorbonne Université, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Juan P. Princich
- Unidad de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, CONICET, Hospital El Cruce Dr, “Néstor C. Kirchner”, Universidad Arturo Jauretche, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martin Markov
- Unidad de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, CONICET, Hospital El Cruce Dr, “Néstor C. Kirchner”, Universidad Arturo Jauretche, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Bendersky
- Unidad de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, CONICET, Hospital El Cruce Dr, “Néstor C. Kirchner”, Universidad Arturo Jauretche, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Viviente, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula N. Gonzalez
- Unidad de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, CONICET, Hospital El Cruce Dr, “Néstor C. Kirchner”, Universidad Arturo Jauretche, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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7
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Miyagawa S, Arévalo A, Nóbrega VA. On the representation of hierarchical structure: Revisiting Darwin's musical protolanguage. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:1018708. [PMID: 36438635 PMCID: PMC9692108 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1018708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, we address the tenability of Darwin's musical protolanguage, arguing that a more compelling evolutionary scenario is one where a prosodic protolanguage is taken to be the preliminary step to represent the hierarchy involved in linguistic structures within a linear auditory signal. We hypothesize that the establishment of a prosodic protolanguage results from an enhancement of a rhythmic system that transformed linear signals into speech prosody, which in turn can mark syntactic hierarchical relations. To develop this claim, we explore the role of prosodic cues on the parsing of syntactic structures, as well as neuroscientific evidence connecting the evolutionary development of music and linguistic capacities. Finally, we entertain the assumption that the capacity to generate hierarchical structure might have developed as part of tool-making in human prehistory, and hence was established prior to the enhancement of a prosodic protolinguistic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeru Miyagawa
- Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Analía Arévalo
- School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vitor A. Nóbrega
- Institute of Romance Studies, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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8
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Kemmerer D. Revisiting the relation between syntax, action, and left BA44. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:923022. [PMID: 36211129 PMCID: PMC9537576 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.923022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the many lines of research that have been exploring how embodiment contributes to cognition, one focuses on how the neural substrates of language may be shared, or at least closely coupled, with those of action. This paper revisits a particular proposal that has received considerable attention—namely, that the forms of hierarchical sequencing that characterize both linguistic syntax and goal-directed action are underpinned partly by common mechanisms in left Brodmann area (BA) 44, a cortical region that is not only classically regarded as part of Broca’s area, but is also a core component of the human Mirror Neuron System. First, a recent multi-participant, multi-round debate about this proposal is summarized together with some other relevant findings. This review reveals that while the proposal is supported by a variety of theoretical arguments and empirical results, it still faces several challenges. Next, a narrower application of the proposal is discussed, specifically involving the basic word order of subject (S), object (O), and verb (V) in simple transitive clauses. Most languages are either SOV or SVO, and, building on prior work, it is argued that these strong syntactic tendencies derive from how left BA44 represents the sequential-hierarchical structure of goal-directed actions. Finally, with the aim of clarifying what it might mean for syntax and action to have “common” neural mechanisms in left BA44, two different versions of the main proposal are distinguished. Hypothesis 1 states that the very same neural mechanisms in left BA44 subserve some aspects of hierarchical sequencing for syntax and action, whereas Hypothesis 2 states that anatomically distinct but functionally parallel neural mechanisms in left BA44 subserve some aspects of hierarchical sequencing for syntax and action. Although these two hypotheses make different predictions, at this point neither one has significantly more explanatory power than the other, and further research is needed to elaborate and test them.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kemmerer
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IND, United States
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IND, United States
- *Correspondence: David Kemmerer,
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Hopkins WD. Neuroanatomical asymmetries in nonhuman primates in the homologs to Broca's and Wernicke's areas: a mini-review. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:ETLS20210279. [PMID: 36073786 PMCID: PMC9472819 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Population-level lateralization in structure and function is a fundamental measure of the human nervous system. To what extent nonhuman primates exhibit similar patterns of asymmetry remains a topic of considerable scientific interest. In this mini-review, a brief summary of findings on brain asymmetries in nonhuman primates in brain regions considered to the homolog's to Broca's and Wernicke's area are presented. Limitations of existing and directions for future studies are discussed in the context of facilitating comparative investigations in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, M D Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, U.S.A
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10
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Higo N. Motor Cortex Plasticity During Functional Recovery Following Brain Damage. JOURNAL OF ROBOTICS AND MECHATRONICS 2022. [DOI: 10.20965/jrm.2022.p0700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although brain damage causes functional impairment, it is often followed by partial or total recovery of function. Recovery is believed to occur primarily because of brain plasticity. Both human and animal studies have significantly contributed to uncovering the neuronal basis of plasticity. Recent advances in brain imaging technology have enabled the investigation of plastic changes in living human brains. In addition, animal experiments have revealed detailed changes at the neural and genetic levels. In this review, plasticity in motor-related areas of the cerebral cortex, which is one of the most well-studied areas of the neocortex in terms of plasticity, is reviewed. In addition, the potential of technological interventions to enhance plasticity and promote functional recovery following brain damage is discussed. Novel neurorehabilitation technologies are expected to be established based on the emerging research on plasticity from the last several decades.
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11
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Johansson C, Folgerø PO. Is Reduced Visual Processing the Price of Language? Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060771. [PMID: 35741656 PMCID: PMC9221435 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We suggest a later timeline for full language capabilities in Homo sapiens, placing the emergence of language over 200,000 years after the emergence of our species. The late Paleolithic period saw several significant changes. Homo sapiens became more gracile and gradually lost significant brain volumes. Detailed realistic cave paintings disappeared completely, and iconic/symbolic ones appeared at other sites. This may indicate a shift in perceptual abilities, away from an accurate perception of the present. Language in modern humans interact with vision. One example is the McGurk effect. Studies show that artistic abilities may improve when language-related brain areas are damaged or temporarily knocked out. Language relies on many pre-existing non-linguistic functions. We suggest that an overwhelming flow of perceptual information, vision, in particular, was an obstacle to language, as is sometimes implied in autism with relative language impairment. We systematically review the recent research literature investigating the relationship between language and perception. We see homologues of language-relevant brain functions predating language. Recent findings show brain lateralization for communicative gestures in other primates without language, supporting the idea that a language-ready brain may be overwhelmed by raw perception, thus blocking overt language from evolving. We find support in converging evidence for a change in neural organization away from raw perception, thus pushing the emergence of language closer in time. A recent origin of language makes it possible to investigate the genetic origins of language.
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12
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Hopkins WD, Westerhausen R, Schapiro S, Sherwood CC. Heritability in corpus callosum morphology and its association with tool use skill in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Reproducibility in two genetically isolated populations. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12784. [PMID: 35044083 PMCID: PMC8830772 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The corpus callosum (CC) is the major white matter tract connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres. It has been hypothesized that individual variation in CC morphology is negatively associated with forebrain volume (FBV) and this accounts for variation in behavioral and brain asymmetries as well as sex differences. To test this hypothesis, CC surface area and thickness as well as FBV was quantified in 221 chimpanzees with known pedigrees. CC surface area, thickness and FBV were significantly heritable and phenotypically associated with each other; however, no significant genetic association was found between FBV, CC surface area and thickness. The CC surface area and thickness measures were also found to be significantly heritable in both chimpanzee cohorts as were phenotypic associations with variation in asymmetries in tool use skill, suggesting that these findings are reproducible. Finally, significant phenotypic and genetic associations were found between hand use skill and region-specific variation in CC surface area and thickness. These findings suggest that common genes may underlie individual differences in chimpanzee tool use skill and interhemispheric connectivity as manifest by variation in surface area and thickness within the anterior region of the CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and ResearchUniversity of Texas M D Anderson Cancer CenterBastropTexasUSA
| | | | - Steve Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and ResearchUniversity of Texas M D Anderson Cancer CenterBastropTexasUSA
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
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13
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Species and individual differences and connectional asymmetry of Broca's area in humans and macaques. Neuroimage 2021; 244:118583. [PMID: 34562577 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
To reveal the connectional specialization of the Broca's area (or its homologue), voxel-wise inter-species and individual differences, and inter-hemispheric asymmetry were respectively inspected in humans and macaques at both whole-brain connectivity and single tract levels. It was discovered that the developed connectivity blueprint approach is able to localize connectionally comparable voxels between the two species in Broca's area, whereas the quantitative differences between blueprints of locationally or connectionally corresponding voxels enable us to generate inter-hemispheric, inter-subject, and inter-species connectional variabilities, respectively. More importantly, the inter-species and inter-subject variabilities exhibited positive correlation in both two primates, and relatively higher variabilities were detected in the anatomically defined pars triangularis. By contrast, negative relationship was identified between the inter-species variability and hemispheric asymmetry in human brain. In particular, relatively higher asymmetry was revealed in the anatomically defined pars opercularis. Therefore, our novel findings demonstrated that pars triangularis, as compared to pars opercularis, might be a more active area during primate evolution, in which the brain connectivity and possible functions of pars triangularis show relatively higher degree in species specialization, yet lower in hemispheric specialization. Meanwhile, brain connectivity and possible functions of pars opercularis manifested an opposite pattern. At the tract level, functional roles related to the ventral stream in speech comprehension were relatively conservative and bilaterally organized, while those related to the dorsal stream in speech production show relatively higher species and hemispheric specializations.
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Evolutionary Changes in Pathways and Networks of Genes Expressed in the Brains of Humans and Macaques. J Mol Neurosci 2021; 71:1825-1837. [PMID: 34191269 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01874-y] [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: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
As the key organ that separates humans from nonhuman primates, the brain has continuously evolved to adapt to environmental and climatic changes. Although humans share most genetic, molecular, and cellular features with other primates such as macaques, there are significant differences in the structure and function of the brain between humans and these species. Thus, exploring the differences between the brains of human and nonhuman primates in the context of evolution will provide insights into the development, functionality, and diseases of the human central nervous system (CNS). Since the genes involved in many aspects of the human brain are under common pressures of natural selection, their evolutionary features can be analyzed collectively at the pathway level. In this study, the molecular mechanisms underlying human brain capabilities were explored by comparing the evolution features of pathways enriched in genes expressed in the human brain and the macaque brain. We identified 31 pathways with differential evolutionary properties, including those related to neurological diseases, signal transduction, immunological response, and metabolic processes. By analyzing genes differentially expressed in brain regions or development stages between humans and macaques, 9 and 4 pathways with differential evolutionary properties were detected, respectively. We further performed crosstalk analysis on the pathways to obtain an intuitive correlation between the pathways, which is helpful in understanding the mechanisms of interaction between pathways. Our results provide on a comprehensive view of the evolutionary pathways of the human CNS and can serve as a reference for the study of human brain development.
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Changeux JP, Goulas A, Hilgetag CC. A Connectomic Hypothesis for the Hominization of the Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2425-2449. [PMID: 33367521 PMCID: PMC8023825 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities of the human brain, including language, have expanded dramatically in the course of our recent evolution from nonhuman primates, despite only minor apparent changes at the gene level. The hypothesis we propose for this paradox relies upon fundamental features of human brain connectivity, which contribute to a characteristic anatomical, functional, and computational neural phenotype, offering a parsimonious framework for connectomic changes taking place upon the human-specific evolution of the genome. Many human connectomic features might be accounted for by substantially increased brain size within the global neural architecture of the primate brain, resulting in a larger number of neurons and areas and the sparsification, increased modularity, and laminar differentiation of cortical connections. The combination of these features with the developmental expansion of upper cortical layers, prolonged postnatal brain development, and multiplied nongenetic interactions with the physical, social, and cultural environment gives rise to categorically human-specific cognitive abilities including the recursivity of language. Thus, a small set of genetic regulatory events affecting quantitative gene expression may plausibly account for the origins of human brain connectivity and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre Changeux
- CNRS UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris, France
- Communications Cellulaires, Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandros Goulas
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claus C Hilgetag
- Institute of Computational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg University, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Graïc JM, Peruffo A, Corain L, Centelleghe C, Granato A, Zanellato E, Cozzi B. Asymmetry in the Cytoarchitecture of the Area 44 Homolog of the Brain of the Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:55. [PMID: 32973465 PMCID: PMC7471632 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the brain in apes and man followed a joint pathway stemming from common ancestors 5-10 million years ago. However, although apparently sharing similar organization and neurochemical properties, association areas of the isocortex remain one of the cornerstones of what sets humans aside from other primates. Brodmann's area 44, the area of Broca, is known for its implication in speech, and thus indirectly is a key mark of human uniqueness. This latero-caudal part of the frontal lobe shows a marked functional asymmetry in humans, and takes part in other complex functions, including learning and imitation, tool use, music and contains the mirror neuron system (MNS). Since the main features in the cytoarchitecture of Broca's area remains relatively constant in hominids, including in our closest relative, the chimpanzee Pan troglodytes, investigations on the finer structure, cellular organization, connectivity and eventual asymmetry of area 44 have a direct bearing on the understanding of the neural mechanisms at the base of our language. The semi-automated image analysis technology that we employed in the current study showed that the structure of the cortical layers of the chimpanzee contains elements of asymmetry that are discussed in relation to the corresponding human areas and the putative resulting disparity of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marie Graïc
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Antonella Peruffo
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Livio Corain
- Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Cinzia Centelleghe
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Alberto Granato
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zanellato
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Bruno Cozzi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Fedorenko E, Blank IA. Broca's Area Is Not a Natural Kind. Trends Cogn Sci 2020; 24:270-284. [PMID: 32160565 PMCID: PMC7211504 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2020.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Theories of human cognition prominently feature 'Broca's area', which causally contributes to a myriad of mental functions. However, Broca's area is not a monolithic, multipurpose unit - it is structurally and functionally heterogeneous. Some functions engaging (subsets of) this area share neurocognitive resources, whereas others rely on separable circuits. A decade of converging evidence has now illuminated a fundamental distinction between two subregions of Broca's area that likely play computationally distinct roles in cognition: one belongs to the domain-specific 'language network', the other to the domain-general 'multiple-demand (MD) network'. Claims about Broca's area should be (re)cast in terms of these (and other, as yet undetermined) functional components, to establish a cumulative research enterprise where empirical findings can be replicated and theoretical proposals can be meaningfully compared and falsified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Fedorenko
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Idan A Blank
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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18
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19
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Thiebaut de Schotten M, Croxson PL, Mars RB. Large-scale comparative neuroimaging: Where are we and what do we need? Cortex 2019; 118:188-202. [PMID: 30661736 PMCID: PMC6699599 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging has a lot to offer comparative neuroscience. Although invasive "gold standard" techniques have a better spatial resolution, neuroimaging allows fast, whole-brain, repeatable, and multi-modal measurements of structure and function in living animals and post-mortem tissue. In the past years, comparative neuroimaging has increased in popularity. However, we argue that its most significant potential lies in its ability to collect large-scale datasets of many species to investigate principles of variability in brain organisation across whole orders of species-an ambition that is presently unfulfilled but achievable. We briefly review the current state of the field and explore what the current obstacles to such an approach are. We propose some calls to action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Group, Sorbonne Universities, Paris France; Frontlab, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), UPMC UMRS 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR, Paris, France; Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
| | - Paula L Croxson
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
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Amiez C, Sallet J, Hopkins WD, Meguerditchian A, Hadj-Bouziane F, Ben Hamed S, Wilson CRE, Procyk E, Petrides M. Sulcal organization in the medial frontal cortex provides insights into primate brain evolution. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3437. [PMID: 31366944 PMCID: PMC6668397 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11347-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the relative expansion of the frontal cortex in primate evolution is generally accepted, the nature of the human uniqueness, if any, and between-species anatomo-functional comparisons of the frontal areas remain controversial. To provide a novel interpretation of the evolution of primate brains, sulcal morphological variability of the medial frontal cortex was assessed in Old World monkeys (macaque/baboon) and Hominoidea (chimpanzee/human). We show that both Hominoidea possess a paracingulate sulcus, which was previously thought to be unique to the human brain and linked to higher cognitive functions, such as mentalizing. Also, we show systematic sulcal morphological organization of the medial frontal cortex that can be traced from Old World monkeys to Hominoidea species, demonstrating an evolutionarily conserved organizational principle. These data provide a new framework to compare sulcal morphology, cytoarchitectonic areal distribution, connectivity, and function across the primate order, leading to clear predictions about how other primate brains might be anatomo-functionally organized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Amiez
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, 69500, Bron, France.
| | - Jérôme Sallet
- Wellcome Integrative Neuroimaging Centre, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, 78602, USA
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR7290, Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, 13331, Marseille, France
- Station de Primatologie CNRS, UPS846, 13790, Rousset, France
- Brain & Language Research Institute, Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, 13604, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Fadila Hadj-Bouziane
- Integrative Multisensory Perception Action & Cognition Team (ImpAct), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), University of Lyon 1, 69500, Lyon, France
| | - Suliann Ben Hamed
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR5229, CNRS-Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 69675, Bron, France
| | - Charles R E Wilson
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, 69500, Bron, France
| | - Emmanuel Procyk
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, 69500, Bron, France
| | - Michael Petrides
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
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