1
|
Ganapathee DS, Gunz P. Insights into brain evolution through the genotype-phenotype connection. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:73-92. [PMID: 36841571 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
It has recently become possible to start exploring how the genotype translates into human brain morphology and behavior by combining detailed genomic and phenotypic data from thousands of present-day people with archaic genomes of extinct humans, and gene expression data. As a starting point into this emerging interdisciplinary domain, we highlight current debates about which aspects of the modern human brain are unique. We review recent developments from (1) comparative primate neuroscience-a fast-growing field offering an invaluable framework for understanding general mechanisms and the evolution of human-specific traits. (2) paleoanthropology-based on evidence from endocranial imprints in fossil skulls, we trace the evolution from the ape-like brain phenotype of early hominins more than 3 million years ago to the unusual globular brain shape of present-day people. (3) Genomics of present-day and extinct humans. The morphological and genetic differences between modern humans and our closest extinct cousins, the Neandertals, offer important clues about the genetic underpinnings of brain morphology and behavior. The functional consequences of these genetic differences can be tested in animal models, and brain organoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pestana C, de Sousa AA, Todorov OS, Beaudet A, Benoit J. Evolutionary history of hominin brain size and phylogenetic comparative methods. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:217-232. [PMID: 36841569 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
An absolutely and relatively large brain has traditionally been viewed as a distinctive characteristic of the Homo genus, with anatomically modern humans presented at the apex of a long line of progressive increases in encephalization. Many studies continue to focus attention on increasing brain size in the Homo genus, while excluding measures of absolute and relative brain size of more geologically recent, smaller brained, hominins such as Homo floresiensis, and Homo naledi and smaller brained Homo erectus specimens. This review discusses the benefits of using phylogenetic comparative methods to trace the diverse changes in hominin brain evolution and the drawbacks of not doing so.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Pestana
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Orlin S Todorov
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julien Benoit
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bruner E, Beaudet A. The brain of Homo habilis: Three decades of paleoneurology. J Hum Evol 2023; 174:103281. [PMID: 36455402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In 1987, Phillip Tobias published a comprehensive anatomical analysis of the endocasts attributed to Homo habilis, discussing issues dealing with brain size, sulcal patterns, and vascular traces. He suggested that the neuroanatomy of this species evidenced a clear change toward many cerebral traits associated with our genus, mostly when concerning the morphology of the frontal and parietal cortex. After more than 30 years, the fossil record associated with this taxon has not grown that much, but we have much more information on cranial and brain biology, and we are using a larger array of digital methods to investigate the paleoneurological variation observed in the human genus. Brain volume, the size of the frontal lobe, or the gross hemispheric asymmetries are still relevant issues, but they are considered to be less central than before. More attention is instead being paid to the cortical organization, the relationships with the cranial architecture, and the influence of molecular or ecological factors. Although the field of paleoneurology can currently count on a larger range of tools and principles, there is still a general lack of anatomical information on many endocranial traits. This aspect is probably crucial for the agenda of paleoneurology. More importantly, the whole science is undergoing a delicate change, because of the growing influence of the social environment. In this sense, the disciplines working with fossils (and, in particular, with brain evolution) should take particular care to maintain a healthy professional situation, avoiding an excess of speculation and overstatement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002 Burgos, Spain.
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- University of Cambridge, Henry Wellcome Building, Fitzwilliam St, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, South Africa; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Carrer de l'Escola Industrial, 23, 08201 Sabadell, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Beaudet A, Holloway R, Benazzi S. A comparative study of the endocasts of OH 5 and SK 1585: Implications for the paleoneurology of eastern and southern African Paranthropus. J Hum Evol 2021; 156:103010. [PMID: 34020294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Beaudet
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ralph Holloway
- Department of Anthropology, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy; Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
García-Martínez D, Green DJ, Bermúdez de Castro JM. Evolutionary development of the Homo antecessor scapulae (Gran Dolina site, Atapuerca) suggests a modern-like development for Lower Pleistocene Homo. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4102. [PMID: 33602966 PMCID: PMC7892855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83039-w] [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: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Two well-preserved, subadult 800 ky scapulae from Gran Dolina belonging to Homo antecessor, provide a unique opportunity to investigate the ontogeny of shoulder morphology in Lower Pleistocene humans. We compared the H. antecessor scapulae with a sample of 98 P. troglodytes and 108 H. sapiens representatives covering seven growth stages, as well as with the DIK-1-1 (Dikika; Australopithecus afarensis), KNM-WT 15000 (Nariokotome; H. ergaster), and MH2 (Malapa; A. sediba) specimens. We quantified 15 landmarks on each scapula and performed geometric morphometric analyses. H. sapiens scapulae are mediolaterally broader with laterally oriented glenoid fossae relative to Pan and Dikika shoulder blades. Accordingly, H. antecessor scapulae shared more morphological affinities with modern humans, KNM-WT 15000, and even MH2. Both H. antecessor and modern Homo showed significantly more positive scapular growth trajectories than Pan (slopes: P. troglodytes = 0.0012; H. sapiens = 0.0018; H. antecessor = 0.0020). Similarities in ontogenetic trajectories between the H. antecessor and modern human data suggest that Lower Pleistocene hominin scapular development was already modern human-like. At the same time, several morphological features distinguish H. antecessor scapulae from modern humans along the entire trajectory. Future studies should include additional Australopithecus specimens for further comparative assessment of scapular growth trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel García-Martínez
- Centro Nacional para el Estudio de la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain.
- Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - David J Green
- Department of Anatomy, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Buies Creek, NC, 27506, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, WITS, 2050, South Africa
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Martin JM, Leece AB, Neubauer S, Baker SE, Mongle CS, Boschian G, Schwartz GT, Smith AL, Ledogar JA, Strait DS, Herries AIR. Drimolen cranium DNH 155 documents microevolution in an early hominin species. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 5:38-45. [PMID: 33168991 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01319-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Paranthropus robustus is a small-brained extinct hominin from South Africa characterized by derived, robust craniodental morphology. The most complete known skull of this species is DNH 7 from Drimolen Main Quarry, which differs from P. robustus specimens recovered elsewhere in ways attributed to sexual dimorphism. Here, we describe a new fossil specimen from Drimolen Main Quarry, dated from approximately 2.04-1.95 million years ago, that challenges this view. DNH 155 is a well-preserved adult male cranium that shares with DNH 7 a suite of primitive and derived features unlike those seen in adult P. robustus specimens from other chronologically younger deposits. This refutes existing hypotheses linking sexual dimorphism, ontogeny and social behaviour within this taxon, and clarifies hypotheses concerning hominin phylogeny. We document small-scale morphological changes in P. robustus associated with ecological change within a short time frame and restricted geography. This represents the most highly resolved evidence yet of microevolutionary change within an early hominin species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M Martin
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - A B Leece
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simon Neubauer
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephanie E Baker
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Carrie S Mongle
- Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.,Turkana Basin Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Giovanni Boschian
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gary T Schwartz
- Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Amanda L Smith
- Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Justin A Ledogar
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David S Strait
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. .,Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Andy I R Herries
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Czeibert K, Sommese A, Petneházy Ö, Csörgő T, Kubinyi E. Digital Endocasting in Comparative Canine Brain Morphology. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:565315. [PMID: 33134351 PMCID: PMC7572857 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.565315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) is one of the most useful techniques for digitizing bone structures and making endocranial models from the neurocranium. The resulting digital endocasts reflect the morphology of the brain and the associated structures. Our first aim was to document the methodology behind creating detailed digital endocasts of canine skulls. We created digital endocasts of the skulls of 24 different dog breeds and 4 wild canids for visualization and teaching purposes. We used CT scanning with 0.323 mm × 0.322 mm × 0.6 mm resolution. The imaging data were segmented with 3D Slicer software and refined with Autodesk Meshmixer. Images were visualized in 3D Slicer and surface models were converted to 3D PDFs to provide easier interactive access, and 3D prints were also generated for visualization purposes. Our second aim was to analyze how skull length and width relate to the surface areas of the prepiriform rhinencephalic, prefrontal, and non-prefrontal cerebral convexity areas of the endocasts. The rhinencephalic area ratio decreased with a larger skull index. Our results open the possibility to analyze the relationship between the skull and brain morphology, and to link certain features to behavior, and cognition in dogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kálmán Czeibert
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrea Sommese
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Örs Petneházy
- University of Kaposvár, Kaposvár, Hungary.,Medicopus Nonprofit Ltd., Kaposvár, Hungary
| | - Tibor Csörgő
- Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cofran Z, Boone M, Petticord M. Virtually estimated endocranial volumes of the Krapina Neandertals. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:117-128. [PMID: 33111974 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Krapina rock shelter has yielded a large assemblage of early Neandertals. Although endocranial volume (ECV) has been estimated for four individuals from the site, several published values that appear in the literature warrant revisiting. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used virtual methods, including high-resolution surface models of fossils and 3D geometric morphometrics, to reconstruct endocasts and estimate ECV for five Krapina crania. We generated 10 reconstructions of each endocast to quantify missing data uncertainty. To assess the method and our ECV estimates, we applied these techniques to the Spy II Neandertal, and estimated ECV of a human reference endocast simulating the missing data of the Krapina fossils. RESULTS We obtained an average ECV estimate of 1,526 cm3 for Spy II, consistent with previous research. Estimated ECV of juveniles Krapina 1 and 2 average 1,419 and 1,286 cm3 , respectively. Estimates for the relatively complete adults Krapina 3 and 6 range from 1,247 to 1,310 cm3 and 1,135 to 1,207 cm3 , respectively, while the more fragmentary Krapina 5 averaged 1,397 cm3 . The missing data simulation suggests more fragmentary crania yield more uncertain and possibly overestimated ECVs. CONCLUSIONS We have provided new estimates of brain size of the Krapina Neandertals, including the first estimates for Krapina 2. Brain size at Krapina was similar to other pre-Würm Neandertals, within the range of but lower than the average of later Neandertals. Although the virtual approach overcomes many challenges of fossil preservation, our results are nevertheless subject to future revision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Cofran
- Anthropology Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
| | - Madeleine Boone
- Anthropology Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
| | - Marisa Petticord
- Anthropology Department, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
McCarthy R, Zimel E. Revised estimates of Taung’s brain size growth. S AFR J SCI 2020. [DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2020/5963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Cranial capacity, a proxy for the volume of the brain and associated cranial contents, is an important yardstick used to compare early hominin species because increasing brain size is a key characteristic of our lineage. In 1925, Raymond Dart claimed that a natural endocast found at the Buxton Limeworks near Taung, South Africa (which he named Australopithecus africanus), showed signs of neural reorganisation, but its juvenile status complicated comparison to other hominoid species. In an attempt to put its brain size and reorganisation into a comparative context, subsequent researchers have tried to estimate Taung’s adult cranial capacity by comparison to coarse-grained hominoid growth data. In this study, we simulated brain growth in A. africanus using asymptotic growth models in known-age mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and modern humans, and show that, at just under 4 years old, Taung’s brain had already finished or nearly finished growing according to hominoid developmental schedules. Percentage-growth remaining estimates are lower here than in previous studies using cross-sectional ontogenetic samples of unknown chronological age. Our new adult estimates (between 404 cm3 and 430 cm3 overall and 405–406 cm3 for chimpanzee models) are smaller than previous estimates with a ‘starting’ cranial capacity of 404 cm3, supporting the hypothesis that Taung’s adult brain size would have fallen toward the lower end of the A. africanus range of variation and strengthening the case that Taung was female.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert McCarthy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois, USA
| | - Emily Zimel
- Department of Physical Sciences, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Herries AIR, Martin JM, Leece AB, Adams JW, Boschian G, Joannes-Boyau R, Edwards TR, Mallett T, Massey J, Murszewski A, Neubauer S, Pickering R, Strait DS, Armstrong BJ, Baker S, Caruana MV, Denham T, Hellstrom J, Moggi-Cecchi J, Mokobane S, Penzo-Kajewski P, Rovinsky DS, Schwartz GT, Stammers RC, Wilson C, Woodhead J, Menter C. Contemporaneity of Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and early Homo erectus in South Africa. Science 2020; 368:368/6486/eaaw7293. [PMID: 32241925 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw7293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the extinction of Australopithecus and origins of Paranthropus and Homo in South Africa has been hampered by the perceived complex geological context of hominin fossils, poor chronological resolution, and a lack of well-preserved early Homo specimens. We describe, date, and contextualize the discovery of two hominin crania from Drimolen Main Quarry in South Africa. At ~2.04 million to 1.95 million years old, DNH 152 represents the earliest definitive occurrence of Paranthropus robustus, and DNH 134 represents the earliest occurrence of a cranium with clear affinities to Homo erectus These crania also show that Homo, Paranthropus, and Australopithecus were contemporaneous at ~2 million years ago. This high taxonomic diversity is also reflected in non-hominin species and provides evidence of endemic evolution and dispersal during a period of climatic variability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andy I R Herries
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia. .,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Jesse M Martin
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - A B Leece
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Justin W Adams
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, VIC, Australia.,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Giovanni Boschian
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Renaud Joannes-Boyau
- Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group (GARG), Southern Cross University, Military Road, Lismore, 2480 NSW, Australia.,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Tara R Edwards
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Tom Mallett
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Jason Massey
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, VIC, Australia.,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ashleigh Murszewski
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robyn Pickering
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.,Human Evolution Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - David S Strait
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Brian J Armstrong
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Stephanie Baker
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Matthew V Caruana
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Tim Denham
- Geoarchaeology Research Group, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - John Hellstrom
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Simon Mokobane
- Palaeo-Research Institute, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Paul Penzo-Kajewski
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Douglass S Rovinsky
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, VIC, Australia
| | - Gary T Schwartz
- Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Rhiannon C Stammers
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Coen Wilson
- Palaeoscience, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 VIC, Australia
| | - Jon Woodhead
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Colin Menter
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Gunz P, Neubauer S, Falk D, Tafforeau P, Le Cabec A, Smith TM, Kimbel WH, Spoor F, Alemseged Z. Australopithecus afarensis endocasts suggest ape-like brain organization and prolonged brain growth. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz4729. [PMID: 32270044 PMCID: PMC7112758 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz4729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Human brains are three times larger, are organized differently, and mature for a longer period of time than those of our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees. Together, these characteristics are important for human cognition and social behavior, but their evolutionary origins remain unclear. To study brain growth and organization in the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis more than 3 million years ago, we scanned eight fossil crania using conventional and synchrotron computed tomography. We inferred key features of brain organization from endocranial imprints and explored the pattern of brain growth by combining new endocranial volume estimates with narrow age at death estimates for two infants. Contrary to previous claims, sulcal imprints reveal an ape-like brain organization and no features derived toward humans. A comparison of infant to adult endocranial volumes indicates protracted brain growth in A. afarensis, likely critical for the evolution of a long period of childhood learning in hominins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Corresponding author.
| | - Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Dean Falk
- Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- School for Advanced Research, 660 Garcia St., Santa Fe, NM 87505, USA
| | - Paul Tafforeau
- European Synchotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS-40220, F-38043, Grenoble cedex 09, France
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- European Synchotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS-40220, F-38043, Grenoble cedex 09, France
| | - Tanya M. Smith
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd., Nathan 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - William H. Kimbel
- Institute of Human Origins, and School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Fred Spoor
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Anthropology, UCL, London WC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Zeresenay Alemseged
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Profico A, Buzi C, Melchionna M, Veneziano A, Raia P. Endomaker, a new algorithm for fully automatic extraction of cranial endocasts and the calculation of their volumes. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 172:511-515. [PMID: 32187657 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Reproducing cranial endocasts is a major goal of researchers interested in vertebrate brain evolution. We present a new R software, named endomaker, which allows the automatic extraction of endocasts from skull meshes along with the calculation of its volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS We applied endomaker on non-primate and primate skulls including the Australopithecus africanus specimen Sts-5. RESULTS We proved endomaker is faster, more feature-rich and possibly more accurate than competing software. DISCUSSION Endomaker is the only available program endowed with the possibility to process an entire mesh directory straight away, promising to expand the scope and phylogenetic breadth of comparative studies of brain evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Profico
- PalaeoHub, Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Costantino Buzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Melchionna
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse, Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Pasquale Raia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse, Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gunz P, Kozakowski S, Neubauer S, Le Cabec A, Kullmer O, Benazzi S, Hublin JJ, Begun DR. Skull reconstruction of the late Miocene ape Rudapithecus hungaricus from Rudabánya, Hungary. J Hum Evol 2020; 138:102687. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
14
|
Clarke RJ. Australopithecus prometheus
was validly named on MLD 1. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 170:479-481. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald J. Clarke
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bruner E. Human paleoneurology: Shaping cortical evolution in fossil hominids. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1753-1765. [PMID: 30520032 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary neuroanatomy must integrate two different sources of information, namely from fossil and from living species. Fossils supply information concerning the process of evolution, whereas living species supply information on the product of evolution. Unfortunately, the fossil record is partial and fragmented, and often cannot support validations for specific evolutionary hypotheses. Living species can provide more comprehensive indications, but they do not represent ancestral groups or primitive forms. Macaques or chimpanzees are frequently used as proxy for human ancestral conditions, despite the fact they are divergent and specialized lineages, with their own biological features. Similarly, in paleoanthropology independent lineages (such as Neanderthals) should not be confused with ancestral modern human stages. In this comparative framework, paleoneurology deals with the analysis of the endocranial cavity in extinct species, in order to make inferences on brain evolution. A main target of this field is to distinguish the endocranial variations due to brain changes, from those due to cranial constraints. Digital anatomy and computed morphometrics have provided major advances in this field. However, brains and endocasts can be hard to analyze with geometrical models, because of uncertainties due to the localization of cortical landmarks and boundaries. The study of the evolution of the parietal cortex supplies an interesting case-study in which paleontological and neontological data can integrate and test evolutionary hypotheses based on multiple sources of evidence. The relationships with visuospatial functions and brain-body-tool integration stress further that the analysis of the cognitive system should go beyond the neural boundaries of the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Programa de Paleobiología de Homínidos, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
de Jager EJ, van Schoor AN, Hoffman JW, Oettlé AC, Fonta C, Mescam M, Risser L, Beaudet A. Sulcal pattern variation in extant human endocasts. J Anat 2019; 235:803-810. [PMID: 31206664 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Our knowledge of human brain evolution primarily relies on the interpretation of palaeoneurological evidence. In this context, an endocast or replica of the inside of the bony braincase can be used to reconstruct a timeline of cerebral changes that occurred during human evolution, including changes in topographic extension and structural organisation of cortical areas. These changes can be tracked by identifying cerebral imprints, particularly cortical sulci. The description of these crucial landmarks in fossil endocasts is, however, challenging. High-resolution imaging techniques in palaeoneurology offer new opportunities for tracking detailed endocranial neural characteristics. In this study, we use high-resolution imaging techniques to document the variation in extant human endocranial sulcal patterns for subsequent use as a platform for comparison with the fossil record. We selected 20 extant human crania from the Pretoria Bone Collection (University of Pretoria, South Africa), which were detailed using X-ray microtomography at a spatial resolution ranging from 94 to 123 μm (isometric). We used Endex to extract, and Matlab to analyse the cortical imprints on the endocasts. We consistently identified superior, middle and inferior sulci on the frontal lobe; and superior and inferior sulci on the temporal lobe. We were able to label sulci bordering critical functional areas such as Broca's cap. Mapping the sulcal patterns on extant endocasts is a prerequisite for constructing an atlas which can be used for automatic sulci recognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edwin J de Jager
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Albert N van Schoor
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Anna C Oettlé
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Anatomy and Histology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Caroline Fonta
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Muriel Mescam
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Risser
- Institute de mathématiques de Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Cofran Z. Brain size growth in Australopithecus. J Hum Evol 2019; 130:72-82. [PMID: 31010545 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Postnatal growth is one of the proximate means by which humans attain massive adult brain size. Humans are characterized by the maintenance of prenatal brain growth rates into the first postnatal year, as well as an overall extended period of growth. The evolution of this pattern is difficult to assess due to its relatively brief duration and the underrepresentation of well-preserved fossil individuals who died during this short period. In this study, I use Monte Carlo methods to reconstruct postnatal brain growth rates in Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus africanus, based on estimates of neonatal brain size and of likely brain size and age at death of infant specimens (A.L. 333-105, DIK-1-1, and Taung). Neonatal brain size is reconstructed from the empirical scaling relationship among catarrhines which humans follow, and conservative estimates of fossils' chronological ages and brain sizes are drawn from the literature. Simulated distributions of these values are used to calculate average annual rates (ARs) of brain growth and proportional size change from birth (PSC), which are compared to resampled statistics from humans, chimpanzees and gorillas of known age and sex. Simulated ARs and PSCs for A. afarensis are significantly lower than those of chimpanzees and gorillas. Both ARs and PSCs for A. africanus are similar to chimpanzee and gorilla values. These results indicate that although these early hominins were derived in some aspects of brain anatomy, high rates of brain growth did not appear until later in human evolution. Moreover, findings also imply that brain growth rates are not a simple function of adult brain size. This study provides important new information about the evolution of brain growth, despite limitations inherent in fossil samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Cofran
- Anthropology Department, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Box 42, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
The endocast of StW 573 (“Little Foot”) and hominin brain evolution. J Hum Evol 2019; 126:112-123. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
19
|
Beaudet A, Du A, Wood B. Evolution of the modern human brain. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 250:219-250. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
20
|
Scott NA, Strauss A, Hublin JJ, Gunz P, Neubauer S. Covariation of the endocranium and splanchnocranium during great ape ontogeny. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208999. [PMID: 30566462 PMCID: PMC6300334 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
That great ape endocranial shape development persists into adolescence indicates that the splanchnocranium succeeds brain growth in driving endocranial development. However, the extent of this splanchnocranial influence is unknown. We applied two-block partial least squares analyses of Procrustes shape variables on an ontogenetic series of great ape crania to explore the covariation of the endocranium (the internal braincase) and splanchnocranium (face, or viscerocranium). We hypothesized that a transition between brain growth and splanchnocranial development in the establishment of final endocranial form would be manifest as a change in the pattern of shape covariation between early and adolescent ontogeny. Our results revealed a strong pattern of covariation between endocranium and splanchnocranium, indicating that chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans share a common tempo and mode of morphological integration from the eruption of the deciduous dentition onwards to adulthood: a reflection of elongating endocranial shape and continuing splanchnocranial prognathism. Within this overarching pattern, we noted that species variation exists in magnitude and direction, and that the covariation between the splanchnocranium and endocranium is somewhat weaker in early infancy compared to successive age groups. When correcting our covariation analyses for allometry, we found that an ontogenetic signal remains, signifying that allometric variation alone is insufficient to account for all endocranial-splanchnocranial developmental integration. Finally, we assessed the influence of the cranial base, which acts as the interface between the face and endocranium, on the shape of the vault using thin-plate spline warping. We found that not all splanchnocranial shape changes during development are tightly integrated with endocranial shape. This suggests that while the developmental expansion of the brain is the main driver of endocranial shape during early ontogeny, endocranial development from infancy onwards is moulded by the splanchnocranium in conjunction with the neurocranium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia A. Scott
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Martinstrasse, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - André Strauss
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Cabestrero-Rincón MA, Balzeau A, Lorenzo C. Differential evolution of cerebral and cerebellar fossae in recent Homo: A new methodological approach. HOMO-JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE HUMAN BIOLOGY 2018; 69:289-303. [PMID: 30463675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchb.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The endocranium shows the influence of the shape and development of brain tissues and overall brain modifications. During the late Upper Pleistocene and Holocene smaller brains appeared and the higher position of endinion relative to inion might indicate changes in cerebellar and occipital lobes. In previous studies, the depths of the cerebral and cerebellar fossae were not specifically considered; new tools for quantitatively measuring these irregular, problematic curved areas need to be developed. This paper's main objective is to investigate to what degree changes in the fossae's depths of extant humans have occurred with respect to fossil anatomically modern humans (AMH) and older Homo species. The proportions of the occipital and nuchal planes are compared measuring the inner and outer surfaces of the bone. Additionally, this paper proposes a quantitative geometric methodology based on endocranial landmarks that create a plane with which to measure the position of the deepest part of the fossa: it represents a curvature maxima - concavity - associated with local structures. The four points thus obtained could be framed in Bookstein's Type II landmarks but without biomechanical implication. Through univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses (principal components analysis) of raw and size-corrected data we study the differential evolution in recent Homo species, which presents a more vertical occipital area than ancient fossils. Our results corroborate this derived trait; additionally, we have observed a tendency towards a relative decrease in the depth of the cerebral fossae and maintenance of the cerebellar fossae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M A Cabestrero-Rincón
- Castell de Bellver-Museu d'Història de la Ciutat, c/Camilo José Cela, s/n. 07014 Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain; Àrea de Prehistòria, Fac. Lletres, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Catalunya, 35 43002 Tarragona, Spain.
| | - A Balzeau
- Département Hommes et environnement, UMR 7194 du CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l'Homme, 17, place du Trocadéro, F-75016 Paris, France
| | - C Lorenzo
- Àrea de Prehistòria, Fac. Lletres, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Catalunya, 35 43002 Tarragona, Spain; Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES), Carrer Marcel·lí Domingo s/n - Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Stelzer S, Neubauer S, Hublin JJ, Spoor F, Gunz P. Morphological trends in arcade shape and size in Middle Pleistocene Homo. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168:70-91. [PMID: 30351445 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Middle Pleistocene fossil hominins, often summarized as Homo heidelbergensis sensu lato, are difficult to interpret due to a fragmentary fossil record and ambiguous combinations of primitive and derived characters. Here, we focus on one aspect of facial shape and analyze shape variation of the dental arcades of these fossils together with other Homo individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three-dimensional landmark data were collected on computed tomographic scans and surface scans of Middle Pleistocene fossil hominins (n = 8), Homo erectus s.l. (n = 4), Homo antecessor (n = 1), Homo neanderthalensis (n = 13), recent (n = 52) and fossil (n = 19) Homo sapiens. To increase sample size, we used multiple multivariate regression to reconstruct complementary arches for isolated mandibles, and explored size and shape differences among maxillary arcades. RESULTS The shape of the dental arcade in H. erectus s.l. and H. antecessor differs markedly from both Neanderthals and H. sapiens. The latter two show subtle but consistent differences in arcade length and width. Shape variation among Middle Pleistocene fossil hominins does not exceed the amount of variation of other species, but includes individuals with more primitive and more derived morphology, all more similar to Neanderthals and H. sapiens than to H. erectus s.l. DISCUSSION Although our results cannot reject the hypothesis that the Middle Pleistocene fossil hominins belong to a single species, their shape variation comprises a more primitive morph that represents a likely candidate for the shape of the last common ancestor of Neanderthals and H. sapiens, and a more derived morph resembling Neanderthals. The arcade shape difference between Neanderthals and H. sapiens might be related to different ways to withstand mechanical stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Stelzer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fred Spoor
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Anthropology, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Beaudet A, Carlson KJ, Clarke RJ, de Beer F, Dhaene J, Heaton JL, Pickering TR, Stratford D. Cranial vault thickness variation and inner structural organization in the StW 578 hominin cranium from Jacovec Cavern, South Africa. J Hum Evol 2018; 121:204-220. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
|
24
|
Neubauer S, Gunz P, Leakey L, Leakey M, Hublin JJ, Spoor F. Reconstruction, endocranial form and taxonomic affinity of the early Homo calvaria KNM-ER 42700. J Hum Evol 2018; 121:25-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
25
|
Stelzer S, Gunz P, Neubauer S, Spoor F. Using the covariation of extant hominoid upper and lower jaws to predict dental arcades of extinct hominins. J Hum Evol 2018; 114:154-175. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
26
|
Beaudet A, Dumoncel J, de Beer F, Durrleman S, Gilissen E, Oettlé A, Subsol G, Thackeray JF, Braga J. The endocranial shape of Australopithecus africanus: surface analysis of the endocasts of Sts 5 and Sts 60. J Anat 2017; 232:296-303. [PMID: 29148040 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of global endocranial morphology and regional neuroanatomical changes in early hominins is critical for the reconstruction of evolutionary trajectories of cerebral regions in the human lineage. Early evidence of cortical reorganization in specific local areas (e.g. visual cortex, inferior frontal gyrus) is perceptible in the non-human South African hominin fossil record. However, to date, little information is available regarding potential global changes in the early hominin brain. The introduction of non-invasive imaging techniques opens up new perspectives for the study of hominin brain evolution. In this context, our primary aim in this study is to explore the organization of the Australopithecus africanus endocasts, and highlight the nature and extent of the differences distinguishing A. africanus from the extant hominids at both local and global scales. By means of X-ray-based imaging techniques, we investigate two A. africanus specimens from Sterkfontein Member 4, catalogued as Sts 5 and Sts 60, respectively a complete cranium and a partial cranial endocast. Endocrania were virtually reconstructed and compared by using a landmark-free registration method based on smooth and invertible surface deformation. Both local and global information provided by our deformation-based approach are used to perform statistical analyses and topological mapping of inter-specific variation. Statistical analyses indicate that the endocranial shape of Sts 5 and Sts 60 approximates the Pan condition. Furthermore, our study reveals substantial differences with respect to the extant human condition, particularly in the parietal regions. Compared with Pan, the endocranial shape of the fossil specimens differs in the anterior part of the frontal gyri.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Beaudet
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jean Dumoncel
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse, UMR 5288 CNRS-Université de Toulouse (Paul Sabatier), Toulouse Cedex, France.,Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse, UMR 5505 CNRS-Université de Toulouse (Paul Sabatier), Toulouse Cedex, France
| | - Frikkie de Beer
- Radiation Science Department, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), Pelindaba, South Africa
| | - Stanley Durrleman
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Aramis Team, INRIA Paris, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium.,Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anna Oettlé
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Anatomy and Histology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Gérard Subsol
- Montpellier Laboratory of Informatics, Robotics and Microelectronics, UMR 5506 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - John Francis Thackeray
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - José Braga
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse, UMR 5288 CNRS-Université de Toulouse (Paul Sabatier), Toulouse Cedex, France.,Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Grabowski M. Bigger Brains Led to Bigger Bodies?: The Correlated Evolution of Human Brain and Body Size. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1086/685655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
28
|
Hublin JJ, Neubauer S, Gunz P. Brain ontogeny and life history in Pleistocene hominins. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:20140062. [PMID: 25602066 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A high level of encephalization is critical to the human adaptive niche and emerged among hominins over the course of the past 2 Myr. Evolving larger brains required important adaptive adjustments, in particular regarding energy allocation and life history. These adaptations included a relatively small brain at birth and a protracted growth of highly dependent offspring within a complex social environment. In turn, the extended period of growth and delayed maturation of the brain structures of humans contribute to their cognitive complexity. The current palaeoanthropological evidence shows that, regarding life history and brain ontogeny, the Pleistocene hominin taxa display different patterns and that one cannot simply contrast an 'ape-model' to a 'human-model'. Large-brained hominins such as Upper Pleistocene Neandertals have evolved along their own evolutionary pathway and can be distinguished from modern humans in terms of growth pattern and brain development. The life-history pattern and brain ontogeny of extant humans emerged only recently in the course of human evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Reconstructed Homo habilis type OH 7 suggests deep-rooted species diversity in early Homo. Nature 2015; 519:83-6. [DOI: 10.1038/nature14224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
30
|
Neubauer S. Endocasts: possibilities and limitations for the interpretation of human brain evolution. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2014; 84:117-34. [PMID: 25247826 DOI: 10.1159/000365276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Brains are not preserved in the fossil record but endocranial casts are. These are casts of the internal bony braincase, revealing approximate brain size and shape, and they are also informative about brain surface morphology. Endocasts are the only direct evidence of human brain evolution, but they provide only limited data ('paleoneurology'). This review discusses some new fossil endocasts and recent methodological advances that have allowed novel analyses of old endocasts, leading to intriguing findings and hypotheses. The interpretation of paleoneurological data always relies on comparative information from living species whose brains and behavior can be directly investigated. It is therefore important that future studies attempt to better integrate different approaches. Only then will we be able to gain a better understanding about hominin brain evolution. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
New high-resolution computed tomography data of the Taung partial cranium and endocast and their bearing on metopism and hominin brain evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:13022-7. [PMID: 25157138 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1402905111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Falk and colleagues [Falk D, Zollikofer CP, Morimoto N, Ponce de León MS (2012) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109(22):8467-8470] hypothesized that selective pressures favored late persistence of a metopic suture and open anterior fontanelle early in hominin evolution, and they put an emphasis on the Taung Child (Australopithecus africanus) as evidence for the antiquity of these adaptive features. They suggested three mutually nonexclusive pressures: an "obstetric dilemma," high early postnatal brain growth rates, and neural reorganization in the frontal cortex. To test this hypothesis, we obtained the first high-resolution computed tomography (CT) data from the Taung hominin. These high-resolution image data and an examination of the hominin fossil record do not support the metopic and fontanelle features proposed by Falk and colleagues. Although a possible remnant of the metopic suture is observed in the nasion-glabella region of the Taung partial cranium (but not along the frontal crest), this character state is incongruent with the zipper model of metopic closure described by Falk and colleagues. Nor do chimpanzee and bonobo endocast data support the assertion that delayed metopic closure in Taung is necessary because of widening (reorganization) of the prefrontal or frontal cortex. These results call into question the adaptive value of delaying metopic closure, and particularly its antiquity in hominin evolution. Further data from hominoids and hominins are required to support the proposed adaptive arguments, particularly an obstetric dilemma placing constraints on neural and cranial development in Australopithecus.
Collapse
|
32
|
Antón SC, Potts R, Aiello LC. Evolution of earlyHomo: An integrated biological perspective. Science 2014; 345:1236828. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1236828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Integration of evidence over the past decade has revised understandings about the major adaptations underlying the origin and early evolution of the genusHomo. Many features associated withHomo sapiens, including our large linear bodies, elongated hind limbs, large energy-expensive brains, reduced sexual dimorphism, increased carnivory, and unique life history traits, were once thought to have evolved near the origin of the genus in response to heightened aridity and open habitats in Africa. However, recent analyses of fossil, archaeological, and environmental data indicate that such traits did not arise as a single package. Instead, some arose substantially earlier and some later than previously thought. From ~2.5 to 1.5 million years ago, three lineages of earlyHomoevolved in a context of habitat instability and fragmentation on seasonal, intergenerational, and evolutionary time scales. These contexts gave a selective advantage to traits, such as dietary flexibility and larger body size, that facilitated survival in shifting environments.
Collapse
|
33
|
|
34
|
Hrvoj-Mihic B, Bienvenu T, Stefanacci L, Muotri AR, Semendeferi K. Evolution, development, and plasticity of the human brain: from molecules to bones. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:707. [PMID: 24194709 PMCID: PMC3812990 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 10/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroanatomical, molecular, and paleontological evidence is examined in light of human brain evolution. The brain of extant humans differs from the brains of other primates in its overall size and organization, and differences in size and organization of specific cortical areas and subcortical structures implicated into complex cognition and social and emotional processing. The human brain is also characterized by functional lateralizations, reflecting specializations of the cerebral hemispheres in humans for different types of processing, facilitating fast and reliable communication between neural cells in an enlarged brain. The features observed in the adult brain reflect human-specific patterns of brain development. Compared to the brains of other primates, the human brain takes longer to mature, promoting an extended period for establishing cortical microcircuitry and its modifications. Together, these features may underlie the prolonged period of learning and acquisition of technical and social skills necessary for survival, creating a unique cognitive and behavioral niche typical of our species. The neuroanatomical findings are in concordance with molecular analyses, which suggest a trend toward heterochrony in the expression of genes implicated in different functions. These include synaptogenesis, neuronal maturation, and plasticity in humans, mutations in genes implicated in neurite outgrowth and plasticity, and an increased role of regulatory mechanisms, potentially promoting fast modification of neuronal morphologies in response to new computational demands. At the same time, endocranial casts of fossil hominins provide an insight into the timing of the emergence of uniquely human features in the course of evolution. We conclude by proposing several ways of combining comparative neuroanatomy, molecular biology and insights gained from fossil endocasts in future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Branka Hrvoj-Mihic
- Department of Anthropology, University of California at San Diego La Jolla, CA, USA ; Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine Stem Cell Program, University of California at San Diego, School of Medicine La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Kubo D, Kono RT, Kaifu Y. Brain size of Homo floresiensis and its evolutionary implications. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20130338. [PMID: 23595271 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The extremely small endocranial volume (ECV) of LB1, the type specimen of Homo floresiensis, poses a challenge in our understanding of human brain evolution. Some researchers hypothesize dramatic dwarfing of relative brain size from Homo erectus presumably without significant decrease in intellectual function, whereas others expect a lesser degree of brain diminution from a more primitive, small-brained form of hominin currently undocumented in eastern Asia. However, inconsistency in the published ECVs for LB1 (380-430 cc), unclear human intraspecific brain-body size scaling and other uncertainties have hampered elaborative modelling of its brain size reduction. In this study, we accurately determine the ECV of LB1 using high-resolution micro-CT scan. The ECV of LB1 thus measured, 426 cc, is larger than the commonly cited figure in previous studies (400 cc). Coupled with brain-body size correlation in Homo sapiens calculated based on a sample from 20 worldwide modern human populations, we construct new models of the brain size reduction in the evolution of H. floresiensis. The results show a more significant contribution of scaling effect than previously claimed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Kubo
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Zollikofer CPE, De León MSP. Pandora's growing box: Inferring the evolution and development of hominin brains from endocasts. Evol Anthropol 2013; 22:20-33. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.21333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
|
37
|
|
38
|
Gunz P, Bulygina E. The Mousterian child from Teshik-Tash is a Neanderthal: A geometric morphometric study of the frontal bone. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 149:365-79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
|
39
|
Freidline SE, Gunz P, Harvati K, Hublin JJ. Middle Pleistocene human facial morphology in an evolutionary and developmental context. J Hum Evol 2012; 63:723-40. [PMID: 22981042 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2011] [Revised: 08/03/2012] [Accepted: 08/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Neanderthals and modern humans exhibit distinct facial architectures. The patterning of facial morphology of their predecessors, the Middle Pleistocene humans, is more mosaic showing a mix of archaic and modern morphologies. Significant changes in facial size and robusticity occurred throughout Pleistocene human evolution, resulting in temporal trends in both facial reduction and enlargement. However, the allometric patterning in facial morphology in archaic humans is not well understood. This study explores temporal trends in facial morphology in order to gain a clearer understanding of the polarity of features, and describes the allometric patterning of facial shape. The modern human sample comprises cross-sectional growth series of four morphologically distinct human populations. The fossil sample covers specimens from the Middle Pleistocene to the Upper Paleolithic. We digitized landmarks and semilandmarks on surface and computed tomography scans and analyzed the Procrustes shape coordinates. Principal component analyses were performed, and Procrustes distances were used to identify phenetic similarities between fossil hominins. In order to explore the influence of size on facial features, allometric trajectories were calculated for fossil and modern human groups, and developmental simulations were performed. We show that facial features can be used to separate Pleistocene humans into temporal clusters. The distinctly modern human pattern of facial morphology is already present around 170 ka. Species- and population-specific facial features develop before two years of age, and several of the large-scale facial differences between Neanderthals and Middle Pleistocene humans are due to scaling along a shared allometric trajectory. These features include aspects of the frontal bone, browridge morphology, nasal aperture size and facial prognathism. Infraorbital surface topography and orientation of the midface in the European Middle Pleistocene hominins is intermediate between the African Middle Pleistocene and Neanderthal condition. This could suggest that the European Middle Pleistocene hominins display incipient Neanderthal features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Freidline
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Small anatomical variant has profound implications for evolution of human birth and brain development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:8360-1. [PMID: 22615361 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1205763109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
41
|
Metopic suture of Taung (Australopithecus africanus) and its implications for hominin brain evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:8467-70. [PMID: 22566620 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1119752109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The type specimen for Australopithecus africanus (Taung) includes a natural endocast that reproduces most of the external morphology of the right cerebral hemisphere and a fragment of fossilized face that articulates with the endocast. Despite the fact that Taung died between 3 and 4 y of age, the endocast reproduces a small triangular-shaped remnant of the anterior fontanelle, from which a clear metopic suture (MS) courses rostrally along the midline [Hrdlička A (1925) Am J Phys Anthropol 8:379-392]. Here we describe and interpret this feature of Taung in light of comparative fossil and actualistic data on the timing of MS closure. In great apes, the MS normally fuses shortly after birth, such that unfused MS similar to Taung's are rare. In humans, however, MS fuses well after birth, and partially or unfused MS are frequent. In gracile fossil adult hominins that lived between ∼3.0 and 1.5 million y ago, MS are also relatively frequent, indicating that the modern human-like pattern of late MS fusion may have become adaptive during early hominin evolution. Selective pressures favoring delayed fusion might have resulted from three aspects of perinatal ontogeny: (i) the difficulty of giving birth to large-headed neonates through birth canals that were reconfigured for bipedalism (the "obstetric dilemma"), (ii) high early postnatal brain growth rates, and (iii) reorganization and expansion of the frontal neocortex. Overall, our data indicate that hominin brain evolution occurred within a complex network of fetopelvic constraints, which required modification of frontal neurocranial ossification patterns.
Collapse
|