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Guran CNA, Boch M, Sladky R, Lonardo L, Karl S, Huber L, Lamm C. Functional mapping of the somatosensory cortex using noninvasive fMRI and touch in awake dogs. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:1193-1207. [PMID: 38642083 PMCID: PMC11147932 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02798-0] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Dogs are increasingly used as a model for neuroscience due to their ability to undergo functional MRI fully awake and unrestrained, after extensive behavioral training. Still, we know rather little about dogs' basic functional neuroanatomy, including how basic perceptual and motor functions are localized in their brains. This is a major shortcoming in interpreting activations obtained in dog fMRI. The aim of this preregistered study was to localize areas associated with somatosensory processing. To this end, we touched N = 22 dogs undergoing fMRI scanning on their left and right flanks using a wooden rod. We identified activation in anatomically defined primary and secondary somatosensory areas (SI and SII), lateralized to the contralateral hemisphere depending on the side of touch, and importantly also activation beyond SI and SII, in the cingulate cortex, right cerebellum and vermis, and the sylvian gyri. These activations may partly relate to motor control (cerebellum, cingulate), but also potentially to higher-order cognitive processing of somatosensory stimuli (rostral sylvian gyri), and the affective aspects of the stimulation (cingulate). We also found evidence for individual side biases in a vast majority of dogs in our sample, pointing at functional lateralization of somatosensory processing. These findings not only provide further evidence that fMRI is suited to localize neuro-cognitive processing in dogs, but also expand our understanding of in vivo touch processing in mammals, beyond classically defined primary and secondary somatosensory cortices.
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Affiliation(s)
- C-N Alexandrina Guran
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Magdalena Boch
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ronald Sladky
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lucrezia Lonardo
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabrina Karl
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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2
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Isparta S, Töre-Yargın G, Wagner SC, Mundorf A, Cinar Kul B, Da Graça Pereira G, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S, Freund N, Salgirli Demirbas Y. Measuring paw preferences in dogs, cats and rats: Design requirements and innovations in methodology. Laterality 2024; 29:246-282. [PMID: 38669348 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2024.2341459] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Studying behavioural lateralization in animals holds great potential for answering important questions in laterality research and clinical neuroscience. However, comparative research encounters challenges in reliability and validity, requiring new approaches and innovative designs to overcome. Although validated tests exist for some species, there is yet no standard test to compare lateralized manual behaviours between individuals, populations, and animal species. One of the main reasons is that different fine-motor abilities and postures must be considered for each species. Given that pawedness/handedness is a universal marker for behavioural lateralization across species, this article focuses on three commonly investigated species in laterality research: dogs, cats, and rats. We will present six apparatuses (two for dogs, three for cats, and one for rats) that enable an accurate assessment of paw preference. Design requirements and specifications such as zoometric fit for different body sizes and ages, reliability, robustness of the material, maintenance during and after testing, and animal welfare are extremely important when designing a new apparatus. Given that the study of behavioural lateralization yields crucial insights into animal welfare, laterality research, and clinical neuroscience, we aim to provide a solution to these challenges by presenting design requirements and innovations in methodology across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevim Isparta
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Gülşen Töre-Yargın
- Brunel Design School College of Engineering Design & Physical Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
- METU/BILTIR-UTEST Product Usability Unit, Department of Industrial Design, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Selina C Wagner
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Annakarina Mundorf
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bengi Cinar Kul
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Goncalo Da Graça Pereira
- Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM), Egas Moniz School of Health & Science, Almada, Portugal
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Research Center One Health Ruhr, Research Alliance Ruhr, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nadja Freund
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Dexheimer B, Sainburg R, Sharp S, Philip BA. Roles of Handedness and Hemispheric Lateralization: Implications for Rehabilitation of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems: A Rapid Review. Am J Occup Ther 2024; 78:7802180120. [PMID: 38305818 PMCID: PMC11017742 DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2024.050398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Handedness and motor asymmetry are important features of occupational performance. With an increased understanding of the basic neural mechanisms surrounding handedness, clinicians will be better able to implement targeted, evidence-based neurorehabilitation interventions to promote functional independence. OBJECTIVE To review the basic neural mechanisms behind handedness and their implications for central and peripheral nervous system injury. DATA SOURCES Relevant published literature obtained via MEDLINE. FINDINGS Handedness, along with performance asymmetries observed between the dominant and nondominant hands, may be due to hemispheric specializations for motor control. These specializations contribute to predictable motor control deficits that are dependent on which hemisphere or limb has been affected. Clinical practice recommendations for occupational therapists and other rehabilitation specialists are presented. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE It is vital that occupational therapists and other rehabilitation specialists consider handedness and hemispheric lateralization during evaluation and treatment. With an increased understanding of the basic neural mechanisms surrounding handedness, clinicians will be better able to implement targeted, evidence-based neurorehabilitation interventions to promote functional independence. Plain-Language Summary: The goal of this narrative review is to increase clinicians' understanding of the basic neural mechanisms related to handedness (the tendency to select one hand over the other for specific tasks) and their implications for central and peripheral nervous system injury and rehabilitation. An enhanced understanding of these mechanisms may allow clinicians to better tailor neurorehabilitation interventions to address motor deficits and promote functional independence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Dexheimer
- Brooke Dexheimer, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond;
| | - Robert Sainburg
- Robert Sainburg, PhD, OTR, is Professor and Huck Institutes Distinguished Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and Department of Neurology, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey
| | - Sydney Sharp
- Sydney Sharp, is Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student, Department of Occupational Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
| | - Benjamin A Philip
- Benjamin A. Philip, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurology and Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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Bazo NS, Marcori AJ, Guimarães AN, Teixeira LA, Okazaki VHA. Inventories of Human Lateral Preference: A Systematic Review. Percept Mot Skills 2023; 130:2505-2529. [PMID: 37913798 DOI: 10.1177/00315125231212326] [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] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
There are a variety of inventories available to evaluate human lateral preference, but no previous review has systematically analyzed and compared them. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify these inventories and describe their characteristics (e.g., dimensions, scales, tasks, psychometric properties). We included 26 articles, each presenting a different inventory to assess lateral preference, published between 1900 and 2022, selected from the following databases: PubMed, SportDiscus, APA PsycNET, and Web of Science. These inventories analyzed tasks performed in everyday life (domestic, work-related, sports, and leisure/recreation activities), covering hand, foot, hearing, visual and other non-usual lateral preference dimensions, such as trunk and head. Most inventories classified individuals based on the direction (left, indifferent or right preference) and degree (consistent or moderate) of laterality. However, many of the reviewed inventories lack established psychometric verification in their original publication, such as validity, reliability, responsiveness, and practical applicability. Inventories also presented tasks that may be specific to a given cultural setting, limiting their application across different countries. Based on these findings, we provide a comprehensive guide for researchers to select a lateral preference assessment tool, but also advocate for a new inventory with a broader approach, containing more than one dimension of lateral preference (i.e., not only handedness) and tasks that are common to different cultures to enhance practical applicability worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norberto S Bazo
- Physical Education Department, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil
- Sport and Physical Education Department, Licungo University - Beira´s Extension, Beira, Mozambique
| | | | | | - Luis A Teixeira
- School of Physical Education and Sports, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Victor H A Okazaki
- Physical Education Department, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil
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Performance on inhibitory tasks does not relate to handedness in several small groups of Callitrichids. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:415-423. [PMID: 36038804 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01682-w] [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: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Brain lateralization, a trait ubiquitous in vertebrates and invertebrates, refers to structural differences between the left and right sides of the brain or to the left and right sides controlling different functions or processing information in different ways. Many studies have looked into the advantages of lateralized brains and discovered that cerebral lateralization confers a fitness advantage. Enhancing cognitive ability has been proposed as one of the potential benefits of the lateralized brain, however, this has not been widely validated. In this study, we investigated the handedness of 34 subjects from four groups of Callitrichids, as well as their performance in two inhibitory control tasks (the revised A-not-B task and the cylinder task). The subjects had strong individual hand preferences, and only a few zoo-born individuals were ambidextrous. Sex and generation influence the strength of hand preference. In the cylinder task, the subjects showed differences between groups, and the performance of the second-generation was better than that of the first-generation. We found that neither the strength of hand preferences (ABS-HI) or direction of hand preferences (HI) was linked with success on the two inhibitory tasks. That is, we were unable to support the enhanced cognitive function hypothesis. We believe that individual ontogeny and the type of cognitive task have an impact on the support of this hypothesis. The advantages of lateralized brain may be reflected in tests that require multiple cognitive abilities.
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6
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Food-caching chickadees do not exhibit directional bias when learning a spatial task. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03275-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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7
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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: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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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8
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Soto C, Gázquez JMM, Llorente M. Hand preferences in coordinated bimanual tasks in non-human primates: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 141:104822. [PMID: 35961384 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104822] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary significance of hand preferences among non-human primates and humans has been studied for decades with the aim of determining the origins of the population-level tendency. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to statistically integrate data on hand preferences in non-human primates performing the tube task and other bimanual tasks to determine the presence and direction of manual laterality. Significant individual-level lateralization was obtained for these bimanual tasks. In nonhuman primates, 82% of the animals analysed showed right or left-hand preference performing the tube task, this figure being 90% for other bimanual tasks. In contrast with humans, no asymmetry was found at the population level. Additionally, population-level preferences were not found in either of the tasks, although a strong manual preference was found when performing the tube task and other bimanual tasks. Species was studied as a variable moderator throughout the meta-analysis. These results highlight the importance of standardized testing methodologies across species and institutions to obtain comparable data and fill the gaps in the taxonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Soto
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - José M M Gázquez
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, 17003 Girona, Spain; Grup de Recerca "Llenguatge i Cognició", Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Plaça Sant Domènec 9, 17004 Girona, Spain.
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9
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Cerebral Polymorphisms for Lateralisation: Modelling the Genetic and Phenotypic Architectures of Multiple Functional Modules. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14040814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent fMRI and fTCD studies have found that functional modules for aspects of language, praxis, and visuo-spatial functioning, while typically left, left and right hemispheric respectively, frequently show atypical lateralisation. Studies with increasing numbers of modules and participants are finding increasing numbers of module combinations, which here are termed cerebral polymorphisms—qualitatively different lateral organisations of cognitive functions. Polymorphisms are more frequent in left-handers than right-handers, but it is far from the case that right-handers all show the lateral organisation of modules described in introductory textbooks. In computational terms, this paper extends the original, monogenic McManus DC (dextral-chance) model of handedness and language dominance to multiple functional modules, and to a polygenic DC model compatible with the molecular genetics of handedness, and with the biology of visceral asymmetries found in primary ciliary dyskinesia. Distributions of cerebral polymorphisms are calculated for families and twins, and consequences and implications of cerebral polymorphisms are explored for explaining aphasia due to cerebral damage, as well as possible talents and deficits arising from atypical inter- and intra-hemispheric modular connections. The model is set in the broader context of the testing of psychological theories, of issues of laterality measurement, of mutation-selection balance, and the evolution of brain and visceral asymmetries.
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10
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Aychet J, Monchy N, Blois-Heulin C, Lemasson A. Context-Dependent Gestural Laterality: A Multifactorial Analysis in Captive Red-Capped Mangabeys. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:186. [PMID: 35049807 PMCID: PMC8772743 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Catarrhine primates gesture preferentially with their right hands, which led to the hypothesis of a gestural origin of human left-hemispheric specialization for language. However, the factors influencing this gestural laterality remain understudied in non-hominoid species, particularly in intraspecific contexts, although it may bring valuable insights into the proximate and ultimate causes of language lateralization. We present here a preliminary investigation of intraspecific gestural laterality in catarrhine monkeys, red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus). We described the spontaneous production of brachio-manual intentional gestures in twenty-five captive subjects. Although we did not evidence any significant gestural lateralization neither at the individual- nor population-level, we found that mangabeys preferentially use their right hands to gesture in negative social contexts, such as aggressions, suggesting an effect of emotional lateralization, and that they adapt to the position of their receiver by preferentially using their ipsilateral hand to communicate. These results corroborate previous findings from ape studies. By contrast, factors related to gesture form and socio-demographic characteristics of signaler and receiver did not affect gestural laterality. To understand better the relationships between gestural laterality and brain lateralization from an evolutionary perspective, we suggest that the gestural communication of other monkey species should be examined with a multifactorial approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Aychet
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
| | - Noémie Monchy
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
| | - Catherine Blois-Heulin
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
- Institut Universitaire de France, CEDEX 05, 75231 Paris, France
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11
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Limb Preference in Animals: New Insights into the Evolution of Manual Laterality in Hominids. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14010096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Until the 1990s, the notion of brain lateralization—the division of labor between the two hemispheres—and its more visible behavioral manifestation, handedness, remained fiercely defined as a human specific trait. Since then, many studies have evidenced lateralized functions in a wide range of species, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In this review, we highlight the great contribution of comparative research to the understanding of human handedness’ evolutionary and developmental pathways, by distinguishing animal forelimb asymmetries for functionally different actions—i.e., potentially depending on different hemispheric specializations. Firstly, lateralization for the manipulation of inanimate objects has been associated with genetic and ontogenetic factors, with specific brain regions’ activity, and with morphological limb specializations. These could have emerged under selective pressures notably related to the animal locomotion and social styles. Secondly, lateralization for actions directed to living targets (to self or conspecifics) seems to be in relationship with the brain lateralization for emotion processing. Thirdly, findings on primates’ hand preferences for communicative gestures accounts for a link between gestural laterality and a left-hemispheric specialization for intentional communication and language. Throughout this review, we highlight the value of functional neuroimaging and developmental approaches to shed light on the mechanisms underlying human handedness.
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12
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Cubí M, Llorente M. Hand preference for a bimanual coordinated task in captive hatinh langurs (Trachypithecus hatinhensis) and grey-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix cinerea). Behav Processes 2021; 187:104393. [PMID: 33839239 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Right-handedness in humans reflects the functional brain specialisation of the left hemisphere. To better understand the origins of this population-level tendency, it is crucial to understand manual lateralisation in other non-human primate species. The aim of this article is to present a first approach to the hand preference of two primates from Vietnam, the endangered hatinh langur (Trachypithecus hatinhensis) and the critically endangered grey-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea). Eighteen individuals from each species (N = 36) were evaluated by means of the bimanual coordinated tube task and their responses were recorded in terms of manual events and bouts. Our results showed that subjects presented strong individual-level preferences but not lateralisation at the group-level. No sex differences were detected within species. The index finger was used in all of the extractions during this bimanual task, alone (86 %) or in combination with other fingers (14 %). In addition, hatinh langurs exhibited a greater strength of hand preferences than grey-shanked douc langurs, pointing to a possible higher manual specialisation during the leaf-eating process. These findings help to broaden our scarce knowledge of manual laterality in Asian colobine monkeys and confirm the bimanual tube task as a sensitive measure for assessing manual laterality in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Cubí
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, Girona, 17003, Spain.
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Universitat de Girona, Carrer Pic de Peguera 11, Girona, 17003, Spain; Serra Húnter Fellow, Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Plaça de Sant Domènec 9, Girona, 17004, Spain; Institut de Recerca i Estudis en Primatologia - IPRIM, 17246 Santa Cristina d'Aro, Girona, Spain.
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13
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Unmasking the relevance of hemispheric asymmetries—Break on through (to the other side). Prog Neurobiol 2020; 192:101823. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Abstract
Comparative studies on brain asymmetry date back to the 19th century but then largely disappeared due to the assumption that lateralization is uniquely human. Since the reemergence of this field in the 1970s, we learned that left-right differences of brain and behavior exist throughout the animal kingdom and pay off in terms of sensory, cognitive, and motor efficiency. Ontogenetically, lateralization starts in many species with asymmetrical expression patterns of genes within the Nodal cascade that set up the scene for later complex interactions of genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors. These take effect during different time points of ontogeny and create asymmetries of neural networks in diverse species. As a result, depending on task demands, left- or right-hemispheric loops of feedforward or feedback projections are then activated and can temporarily dominate a neural process. In addition, asymmetries of commissural transfer can shape lateralized processes in each hemisphere. It is still unclear if interhemispheric interactions depend on an inhibition/excitation dichotomy or instead adjust the contralateral temporal neural structure to delay the other hemisphere or synchronize with it during joint action. As outlined in our review, novel animal models and approaches could be established in the last decades, and they already produced a substantial increase of knowledge. Since there is practically no realm of human perception, cognition, emotion, or action that is not affected by our lateralized neural organization, insights from these comparative studies are crucial to understand the functions and pathologies of our asymmetric brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Güntürkün
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Felix Ströckens
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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15
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Hopkins WD, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Further evidence of a left hemisphere specialization and genetic basis for tool use skill in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Reproducibility in two genetically isolated populations of apes. J Comp Psychol 2019; 133:512-519. [PMID: 31246047 PMCID: PMC6813849 DOI: 10.1037/com0000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that the evolution of tool use may have served as a preadaptation for the emergence of left hemispheric specialization in motor skill in humans. Here, we tested for intermanual differences in performance on a tool use task in a sample of 206 captive chimpanzees in relation to their sex, age, and hand preference. In addition, we examined heritability in tool use skill for the entire sample, as well as within 2 genetically isolated populations of captive chimpanzees. This was done to determine the degree of reproducibility in heritability on motor performance. The results revealed a significant effect of hand preference on intermanual differences in performance. Right-handed chimpanzees performed the task more quickly with their right compared with left hand. In contrast, no significant intermanual differences in performance were found in left- and ambiguous-handed apes. Tool use performance was found to be significantly heritable for overall performance, as well as separately for the left and right hands. Further, significant heritability in tool use performance was found in both populations of apes, suggesting these results were reproducible. The results are discussed in the context of evolutionary theories of handedness and hemispheric specialization and the genetic mechanisms that underlie their expression in primates, including humans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas 78602
- Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, Iowa
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Comparative Medicine, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas 78602
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas 78602
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Vaughan E, Le A, Casey M, Workman KP, Lacreuse A. Baseline cortisol levels and social behavior differ as a function of handedness in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e23057. [PMID: 31566763 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Population hand preferences are rare in nonhuman primates, but individual hand preferences are consistent over a lifetime and considered to reflect an individual's preference to use a particular hemisphere when engaged in a specific task. Previous findings in marmosets have indicated that left-handed individuals tend to be more fearful than their right-handed counterparts. Based on these findings, we tested the hypotheses that left-handed marmosets are (a) more reactive to a social stressor and (b) are slower than right-handed marmosets in acquiring a reversal learning task. We examined the hand preference of 27 male and female marmosets (ages of 4-7 years old) previously tested in a social separation task and a reversal learning task. Hand preference was determined via a simple reaching task. In the social separation task, monkeys were separated from their partner and the colony for a single 7-hr session. Urinary cortisol levels and behavior were assessed at baseline, during the separation and 24 hr postseparation. Hand preferences were equally distributed between left (n = 10), right-handed (n = 10), and ambidextrous (n = 7) individuals. The separation phase was associated with an increase in cortisol levels and behavioral changes that were similar across handedness groups. However, cortisol levels at baseline were positively correlated with right-handedness, and this relationship was stronger in females than in males. In addition, the occurrence of social behaviors (pre- and postseparation) was positively correlated with right-handedness in both sexes. Baseline cortisol levels did not correlate significantly with social behavior. Acquisition of the reversals was poorer in females than males but did not differ as a function of handedness. We conclude that (a) both stress reactivity and cognitive flexibility are similar across handedness groups and (b) left-handers exhibit less social behavior and have lower basal cortisol levels than ambidextrous and right-handed subjects. The underlying causes for these differences remain to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Vaughan
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Annie Le
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Michaela Casey
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Kathryn P Workman
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.,Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
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17
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Handedness and sex effects on lateral biases in human cradling: Three meta-analyses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 104:30-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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18
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Im S, Jeong J, Jin G, Yeom J, Jekal J, Lee SI, Cho JA, Lee S, Lee Y, Kim DH, Bae M, Heo J, Moon C, Lee CH. MAOA variants differ in oscillatory EEG & ECG activities in response to aggression-inducing stimuli. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2680. [PMID: 30804379 PMCID: PMC6390082 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39103-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the genetic variations in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene, upstream variable number tandem repeats (uVNTRs) of the promoter have been associated with individual differences in human physiology and aggressive behaviour. However, the evidence for a molecular or neural link between MAOA uVNTRs and aggression remains ambiguous. Additionally, the use of inconsistent promoter constructs in previous studies has added to the confusion. Therefore, it is necessary to demonstrate the genetic function of MAOA uVNTR and its effects on multiple aspects of aggression. Here, we identified three MAOA alleles in Koreans: the predominant 3.5R and 4.5R alleles, as well as the rare 2.5R allele. There was a minor difference in transcriptional efficiency between the 3.5R and 4.5R alleles, with the greatest value for the 2.5R allele, in contrast to existing research. Psychological indices of aggression did not differ among MAOA genotypes. However, our electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram results obtained under aggression-related stimulation revealed oscillatory changes as novel phenotypes that vary with the MAOA genotype. In particular, we observed prominent changes in frontal γ power and heart rate in 4.5R carriers of men. Our findings provide genetic insights into MAOA function and offer a neurobiological basis for various socio-emotional mechanisms in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- SeungYeong Im
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jinju Jeong
- Undergraduate School Administration Team, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
- Well Aging Research Center, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Gwonhyu Jin
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jiwoo Yeom
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | | | - Sang-Im Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jung Ah Cho
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Sukkyoo Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Youngmi Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Dae-Hwan Kim
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Mijeong Bae
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jinhwa Heo
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea
| | - Cheil Moon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School, DGIST, Daegu, Korea.
| | - Chang-Hun Lee
- School of Undergraduate Studies, DGIST, Daegu, Korea.
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19
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Yosef R, Gindi C, Sukenik N. Footedness in Steppe Buzzards (Buteo vulpinus). Behav Processes 2019; 158:113-116. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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20
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McManus C. Half a century of handedness research: Myths, truths; fictions, facts; backwards, but mostly forwards. Brain Neurosci Adv 2019; 3:2398212818820513. [PMID: 32166178 PMCID: PMC7058267 DOI: 10.1177/2398212818820513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most people are right-handed and have language in their left cerebral hemisphere, why that is so, and in particular why about ten per cent of people are left-handed, is far from clear. Multiple theories have been proposed, often with little in the way of empirical support, and sometimes indeed with strong evidence against them, and yet despite that have become modern urban myths, probably due to the symbolic power of right and left. One thinks in particular of ideas of being right-brained or left-brained, of suggestions that left-handedness is due to perinatal brain damage, of claims that left-handers die seven years earlier than right-handers, and of the unfalsifiable ramifications of the byzantine Geschwind-Behan-Galaburda theory. This article looks back over the past fifty years of research on brain asymmetries, exploring the different themes and approaches, sometimes in relation to the author's own work. Taking all of the work together it is probable that cerebral asymmetries are under genetic control, probably with multiple genetic loci, only a few of which are now beginning to be found thanks to very large databases that are becoming available. Other progress is also seen in proper meta-analyses, the use of fMRI for studying multiple functional lateralisations in large number of individuals, fetal ultra-sound for assessing handedness before birth, and fascinating studies of lateralisation in an ever widening range of animal species. With luck the next fifty years will make more progress and show fewer false directions than had much of the work in the previous fifty years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris McManus
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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21
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de Andrade AC, de Sousa AB. Hand preferences and differences in extractive foraging in seven capuchin monkey species. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22901. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio C. de Andrade
- Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas e Educacao; Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente; Rio Tinto Paraíba Brazil
| | - Allana B. de Sousa
- Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas e Educacao; Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente; Rio Tinto Paraíba Brazil
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22
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Prieur J, Pika S, Blois-Heulin C, Barbu S. Captive chimpanzees' manual laterality in tool use context: Influence of communication and of sociodemographic factors. Behav Processes 2018; 157:610-624. [PMID: 29665416 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding variations of apes' laterality between activities is a central issue when investigating the evolutionary origins of human hemispheric specialization of manual functions and language. We assessed laterality of 39 chimpanzees in a non-communication action similar to termite fishing that we compared with data on five frequent conspecific-directed gestures involving a tool previously exploited in the same subjects. We evaluated, first, population-level manual laterality for tool-use in non-communication actions; second, the influence of sociodemographic factors (age, sex, group, and hierarchy) on manual laterality in both non-communication actions and gestures. No significant right-hand bias at the population level was found for non-communication tool use, contrary to our previous findings for gestures involving a tool. A multifactorial analysis revealed that hierarchy and age particularly modulated manual laterality. Dominants and immatures were more right-handed when using a tool in gestures than in non-communication actions. On the contrary, subordinates, adolescents, young and mature adults as well as males were more right-handed when using a tool in non-communication actions than in gestures. Our findings support the hypothesis that some primate species may have a specific left-hemisphere processing gestures distinct from the cerebral system processing non-communication manual actions and to partly support the tool use hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Prieur
- Ethos "Ethologie Animale et Humaine'', Université de Rennes 1 - CNRS UMR 6552, Station Biologique de Paimpont, France.
| | - Simone Pika
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, "Virtual Geesehouse", Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Catherine Blois-Heulin
- Ethos "Ethologie Animale et Humaine'', Université de Rennes 1 - CNRS UMR 6552, Station Biologique de Paimpont, France
| | - Stéphanie Barbu
- Ethos "Ethologie Animale et Humaine'', Université de Rennes 1 - CNRS UMR 6552, Station Biologique de Paimpont, France
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23
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Poindexter SA, Reinhardt KD, Nijman V, Nekaris KAI. Slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) display evidence of handedness in the wild and in captivity. Laterality 2018; 23:705-721. [PMID: 29607706 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2018.1457046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that strepsirrhines (lemurs, lorises, and galagos) retain the more primitive left-hand preference, whilst monkeys and apes more regularly display a right-hand preference at the individual-level. We looked to address questions of laterality in the slow loris (Nycticebus spp.) using spontaneous observations of 7 wild individuals, unimanual tests in 6 captive individuals, and photos of 42 individuals in a bilateral posture assessing handedness at the individual- and group-level. During the unimanual reach task, we found at the individual-level, only 4 slow lorises showed a hand use bias (R: 3, L: 1), Handedness index (HI) ranged from -0.57 to 1.00. In the wild unimanual grasp task, we found at the individual-level two individual showed a right-hand bias, the HI ranged from -0.19 to 0.70. The bilateral venom pose showed a trend toward a right-hand dominant grip in those photographed in captivity, but an ambiguous difference in wild individuals. There are many environmental constraints in captivity that wild animals do not face, thus data collected in wild settings are more representative of their natural state. The presence of right-handedness in these species suggests that there is a need to re-evaluate the evolution of handedness in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Poindexter
- a Department of Social Sciences , Oxford Brookes University , Oxford , UK.,b Nocturnal Primate Research Group , Oxford , UK.,c The Little Fireface Project , West Java , Indonesia
| | - Kathleen D Reinhardt
- a Department of Social Sciences , Oxford Brookes University , Oxford , UK.,b Nocturnal Primate Research Group , Oxford , UK.,c The Little Fireface Project , West Java , Indonesia
| | - Vincent Nijman
- a Department of Social Sciences , Oxford Brookes University , Oxford , UK.,b Nocturnal Primate Research Group , Oxford , UK
| | - K A I Nekaris
- a Department of Social Sciences , Oxford Brookes University , Oxford , UK.,b Nocturnal Primate Research Group , Oxford , UK.,c The Little Fireface Project , West Java , Indonesia
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24
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Prieur J, Barbu S, Blois-Heulin C. Human laterality for manipulation and gestural communication related to 60 everyday activities: Impact of multiple individual-related factors. Cortex 2018; 99:118-134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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25
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Uomini NT, Ruck L. Manual laterality and cognition through evolution: An archeological perspective. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:295-323. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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26
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Hopkins WD. A review of performance asymmetries in hand skill in nonhuman primates with a special emphasis on chimpanzees. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:57-89. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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27
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Osiurak F. Cognitive Paleoanthropology and Technology: Toward a Parsimonious Theory (PATH). REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1037/gpr0000129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Tool use in humans and hominins (i.e., extant relatives to humans) is unique in several respects. To date, no attempt has been made to review the main patterns of tool behavior specific to these species as well as to integrate them into a coherent framework. The aim here is to fill this gap by (a) identifying these behavioral specificities and (b) trying to explain the greatest number of these specificities with the lowest number of cognitive mechanisms. Based on this approach, this article provides a potential solution, namely, the PArsimonious THeory of hominin technology (PATH), aiming to account for the cognitive origins of 4 behavioral characteristics: transfer, complex tool use, secondary tool use, and tool saving. A key hypothesis is that the emergence of 2 breaking mechanisms—technical reasoning and semantic reasoning—could have boosted hominin technology. PATH offers an original framework for understanding the most archaic, human cognitive traits, thereby providing a good starting point for future investigation about the cognitive evolution of technology in the genus Homo.
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28
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Brand CM, Marchant LF, Boose KJ, White FJ, Rood TM, Meinelt A. Laterality of Grooming and Tool Use in a Group of Captive Bonobos ( Pan paniscus). Folia Primatol (Basel) 2017; 88:210-222. [DOI: 10.1159/000477804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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29
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Hanson NKI, Thorpe SKS, Chappell J. Arboreal Postures Elicit Hand Preference when Accessing a Hard-to-Reach Foraging Device in Captive Bonobos (Pan paniscus). INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9976-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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30
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Morino L, Uchikoshi M, Bercovitch F, Hopkins WD, Matsuzawa T. Tube task hand preference in captive hylobatids. Primates 2017; 58:403-412. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-017-0605-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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31
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Hopkins WD, Meguerditchian A, Coulon O, Misiura M, Pope S, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Motor skill for tool-use is associated with asymmetries in Broca's area and the motor hand area of the precentral gyrus in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Behav Brain Res 2017; 318:71-81. [PMID: 27816558 PMCID: PMC5459306 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Among nonhuman primates, chimpanzees are well known for their sophistication and diversity of tool use in both captivity and the wild. The evolution of tool manufacture and use has been proposed as a driving mechanism for the development of increasing brain size, complex cognition and motor skills, as well as the population-level handedness observed in modern humans. Notwithstanding, our understanding of the neurological correlates of tool use in chimpanzees and other primates remains poorly understood. Here, we assessed the hand preference and performance skill of chimpanzees on a tool use task and correlated these data with measures of neuroanatomical asymmetries in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the pli-de-passage fronto-parietal moyen (PPFM). The IFG is the homolog to Broca's area in the chimpanzee brain and the PPFM is a buried gyrus that connects the pre- and post-central gyri and corresponds to the motor-hand area of the precentral gyrus. We found that chimpanzees that performed the task better with their right compared to left hand showed greater leftward asymmetries in the IFG and PPFM. This association between hand performance and PPFM asymmetry was particularly robust for right-handed individuals. Based on these findings, we propose that the evolution of tool use was associated with increased left hemisphere specialization for motor skill. We further suggest that lateralization in motor planning, rather than hand preference per se, was selected for with increasing tool manufacture and use in Hominid evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, United States; Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30029, United States.
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, UMR 7290, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Coulon
- Aix-Marseille Université, LSIS, UMR CNRS 7296, Marseille, France
| | - Maria Misiura
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, United States
| | - Sarah Pope
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, United States
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, United States
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, United States
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32
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Gómez-Robles A, Hopkins WD, Schapiro SJ, Sherwood CC. The heritability of chimpanzee and human brain asymmetry. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20161319. [PMID: 28003442 PMCID: PMC5204159 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human brains are markedly asymmetric in structure and lateralized in function, which suggests a relationship between these two properties. The brains of other closely related primates, such as chimpanzees, show similar patterns of asymmetry, but to a lesser degree, indicating an increase in anatomical and functional asymmetry during hominin evolution. We analysed the heritability of cerebral asymmetry in chimpanzees and humans using classic morphometrics, geometric morphometrics, and quantitative genetic techniques. In our analyses, we separated directional asymmetry and fluctuating asymmetry (FA), which is indicative of environmental influences during development. We show that directional patterns of asymmetry, those that are consistently present in most individuals in a population, do not have significant heritability when measured through simple linear metrics, but they have marginally significant heritability in humans when assessed through three-dimensional configurations of landmarks that reflect variation in the size, position, and orientation of different cortical regions with respect to each other. Furthermore, genetic correlations between left and right hemispheres are substantially lower in humans than in chimpanzees, which points to a relatively stronger environmental influence on left-right differences in humans. We also show that the level of FA has significant heritability in both species in some regions of the cerebral cortex. This suggests that brain responsiveness to environmental influences, which may reflect neural plasticity, has genetic bases in both species. These results have implications for the evolvability of brain asymmetry and plasticity among humans and our close relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- National Center for Chimpanzee Care, Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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33
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Fan P, Liu C, Chen H, Liu X, Zhao D, Zhang J, Liu D. Preliminary study on hand preference in captive northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys). Primates 2016; 58:75-82. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-016-0573-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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34
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Spiezio C, Regaiolli B, Vallortigara G. Motor and postural asymmetries in marsupials: Forelimb preferences in the red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus). Behav Processes 2016; 128:119-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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35
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Sanz CM, Morgan DB, Hopkins WD. Lateralization and performance asymmetries in the termite fishing of wild chimpanzees in the goualougo triangle, republic of Congo. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:1190-1200. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Crickette M. Sanz
- Department of Anthropology; Washington University in Saint Louis; Saint Louis Missouri
- Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society; Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - David B. Morgan
- Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society; Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes; Lincoln Park Zoo; Chicago Illinois
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center; Georgia State University; Atlanta Georgia
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Atlanta Georgia
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36
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Regaiolli B, Spiezio C, Hopkins WD. Hand preference on unimanual and bimanual tasks in strepsirrhines: The case of the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta). Am J Primatol 2016; 78:851-60. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Regaiolli
- Department of Research and Conservation; Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park; Bussolengo (VR) Italy
| | - Caterina Spiezio
- Department of Research and Conservation; Parco Natura Viva - Garda Zoological Park; Bussolengo (VR) Italy
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center; Georgia State University; Atlanta Georgia
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37
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Atkinson EG, Rogers J, Cheverud JM. Evolutionary and developmental implications of asymmetric brain folding in a large primate pedigree. Evolution 2016; 70:707-15. [PMID: 26813679 PMCID: PMC4801758 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 12/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bilateral symmetry is a fundamental property of the vertebrate central nervous system. Local deviations from symmetry provide various types of information about the development, evolution, and function of elements within the CNS, especially the cerebral hemispheres. Here, we quantify the pattern and extent of asymmetry in cortical folding within the cerebrum of Papio baboons and assess the evolutionary and developmental implications of the findings. Analyses of directional asymmetry show a population-level trend in length measurements indicating that baboons are genetically predisposed to be asymmetrical, with the right side longer than the left in the anterior cerebrum while the left side is longer than the right posteriorly. We also find a corresponding bias to display a right frontal petalia (overgrowth of the anterior pole of the cerebral cortex on the right side). By quantifying fluctuating asymmetry, we assess canalization of brain features and the susceptibility of the baboon brain to developmental perturbations. We find that features are differentially canalized depending on their ontogenetic timing. We further deduce that development of the two hemispheres is to some degree independent. This independence has important implications for the evolution of cerebral hemispheres and their separate specialization. Asymmetry is a major feature of primate brains and is characteristic of both brain structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G. Atkinson
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Dept. of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - James M. Cheverud
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110
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Salmi R, Rahman U, Doran-Sheehy DM. Hand Preference for a Novel Bimanual Coordinated Task During Termite Feeding in Wild Western Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). INT J PRIMATOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9894-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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39
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Porac C. Leftovers. Laterality 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-801239-0.00012-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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40
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Waidhofer M, Kirchengast S. Sexual dimorphism in directional asymmetry of the upper limb bones among Khoe-San skeletons. HOMO-JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE HUMAN BIOLOGY 2015; 66:508-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchb.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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41
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Ocklenburg S, Güntürkün O, Hugdahl K, Hirnstein M. Laterality and mental disorders in the postgenomic age – A closer look at schizophrenia and language lateralization. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 59:100-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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42
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Meguerditchian A, Phillips KA, Chapelain A, Mahovetz LM, Milne S, Stoinski T, Bania A, Lonsdorf E, Schaeffer J, Russell J, Hopkins WD. Handedness for Unimanual Grasping in 564 Great Apes: The Effect on Grip Morphology and a Comparison with Hand Use for a Bimanual Coordinated Task. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1794. [PMID: 26635693 PMCID: PMC4655229 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of factors have been proposed to influence within and between species variation in handedness in non-human primates. In the initial study, we assessed the influence of grip morphology on hand use for simple reaching in a sample of 564 great apes including 49 orangutans Pongo pygmaeus, 66 gorillas Gorilla gorilla, 354 chimpanzees Pan troglodytes and 95 bonobos Pan paniscus. Overall, we found a significant right hand bias for reaching. We also found a significant effect of the grip morphology of hand use. Grasping with the thumb and index finger was more prevalent in the right compared to left hand in all four species. There was no significant sex effect on the patterns of handedness. In a subsample of apes, we also compared consistency in hand use for simple reaching with previously published data on a task that measures handedness for bimanual actions. We found that the ratio of subjects with consistent right compared to left hand use was more prevalent in bonobos, chimpanzees and gorillas but not orangutans. However, for all species, the proportion of subjects with inconsistent hand preferences between the tasks was relatively high suggesting some measures may be more sensitive in assessing handedness than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Meguerditchian
- CNRS, Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, UMR 7290, Brain and Language Research Institute, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | | | - Amandine Chapelain
- CNRS, Laboratoire d’Éthologie Animale et Humaine EthoS, UMR 6552, Université de Rennes 1, Paimpont, France
| | | | - Scott Milne
- Department of Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Tara Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Lonsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer Schaeffer
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jamie Russell
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Hopkins WD, Misiura M, Pope SM, Latash EM. Behavioral and brain asymmetries in primates: a preliminary evaluation of two evolutionary hypotheses. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1359:65-83. [PMID: 26426409 PMCID: PMC4715693 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Contrary to many historical views, recent evidence suggests that species-level behavioral and brain asymmetries are evident in nonhuman species. Here, we briefly present evidence of behavioral, perceptual, cognitive, functional, and neuroanatomical asymmetries in nonhuman primates. In addition, we describe two historical accounts of the evolutionary origins of hemispheric specialization and present data from nonhuman primates that address these specific theories. Specifically, we first discuss the evidence that genes play specific roles in determining left-right differences in anatomical and functional asymmetries in primates. We next consider and present data on the hypothesis that hemispheric specialization evolved as a by-product of increasing brain size relative to the surface area of the corpus callosum in different primate species. Last, we discuss some of the challenges in the study of hemispheric specialization in primates and offer some suggestions on how to advance the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Maria Misiura
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sarah M Pope
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Elitaveta M Latash
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
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Forrester GS, Rawlings B, Davila-Ross M. An analysis of bimanual actions in natural feeding of semi-wild chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 159:85-92. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gillian S. Forrester
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Technology; University of Westminster; 115 New Cavendish Street London W1W 6UW UK
| | - Bruce Rawlings
- Psychology Department; University of Portsmouth; King Henry Building Street Portsmouth PO1 2DY UK
| | - Marina Davila-Ross
- Psychology Department; University of Portsmouth; King Henry Building Street Portsmouth PO1 2DY UK
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Regaiolli B, Spiezio C, Vallortigara G. Manual lateralization in macaques: handedness, target laterality and task complexity. Laterality 2015; 21:100-17. [DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2015.1076834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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46
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Chapelain A, Pimbert P, Aube L, Perrocheau O, Debunne G, Bellido A, Blois-Heulin C. Can Population-Level Laterality Stem from Social Pressures? Evidence from Cheek Kissing in Humans. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124477. [PMID: 26270648 PMCID: PMC4536016 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research, the origins and functions of behavioural laterality remain largely unclear. One of the most striking unresolved issues is the fact that laterality generally occurs at the population-level. Why would the majority of the individuals of a population exhibit the same laterality, while individual-level laterality would yet provide the advantages in terms of improving behavioural efficiency? Are social pressures the key factor? Can social pressures induce alignment of laterality between the individuals of a population? Can the effect of social pressures overpass the effect of other possible determining factors (e.g. genes)? We tested this important new hypothesis in humans, for the first time. We asked whether population-level laterality could stem from social pressures. Namely, we assessed social pressures on laterality in an interactive social behaviour: kissing on the cheek as a greeting. We performed observations in 10 cities of France. The observations took place in spots where people of the city meet and greet each other. We showed that: a) there is a population-level laterality for cheek kissing, with the majority of individuals being aligned in each city, and b) there is a variation between populations, with a laterality that depends on the city. These results were confirmed by our complementary data from questionnaires and internet surveys. These findings show that social pressures are involved in determining laterality. They demonstrate that population-level laterality can stem from social pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Chapelain
- UMR 6552 Université de Rennes 1—CNRS, Station biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Pauline Pimbert
- UMR 6552 Université de Rennes 1—CNRS, Station biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
| | - Lydiane Aube
- UMR 6552 Université de Rennes 1—CNRS, Station biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
| | - Océane Perrocheau
- UMR 6552 Université de Rennes 1—CNRS, Station biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
| | | | - Alain Bellido
- UMR 6553 Université de Rennes 1—CNRS, Station biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
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Forrester GS, Rodriguez A. Slip of the tongue: Implications for evolution and language development. Cognition 2015; 141:103-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2015.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2014] [Revised: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Giljov A, Karenina K, Ingram J, Malashichev Y. Parallel Emergence of True Handedness in the Evolution of Marsupials and Placentals. Curr Biol 2015; 25:1878-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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49
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Versace E, Vallortigara G. Forelimb preferences in human beings and other species: multiple models for testing hypotheses on lateralization. Front Psychol 2015; 6:233. [PMID: 25798121 PMCID: PMC4351643 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional preferences in the use of right/left forelimbs are not exclusively present in humans but have been widely documented in a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate species. A matter of debate is whether non-human species exhibit a degree and consistency of functional forelimb asymmetries comparable to human handedness. The comparison is made difficult by the variability in hand use in humans and the few comparable studies conducted on other species. In spite of this, interesting continuities appear in functions such as feeding, object manipulation and communicative gestures. Studies on invertebrates show how widespread forelimb preferences are among animals, and the importance of experience for the development of forelimb asymmetries. Vertebrate species have been extensively investigated to clarify the origins of forelimb functional asymmetries: comparative evidence shows that selective pressures for different functions have likely driven the evolution of human handedness. Evidence of a complex genetic architecture of human handedness is in line with the idea of multiple evolutionary origins of this trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Versace
- Animal Cognition and Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Giorgio Vallortigara
- Animal Cognition and Neuroscience Laboratory, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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50
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Boeving ER, Lacreuse A, Hopkins WD, Phillips KA, Novak MA, Nelson EL. Handedness influences intermanual transfer in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) but not rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Exp Brain Res 2014; 233:829-37. [PMID: 25466868 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-014-4158-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Intermanual transfer refers to an effect, whereby training one hand to perform a motor task improves performance in the opposite untrained hand. We tested the hypothesis that handedness facilitates intermanual transfer in two nonhuman primate species: rhesus monkeys (N = 13) and chimpanzees (N = 52). Subjects were grouped into one of four conditions: (1) left-handers trained with the left (dominant) hand; (2) left-handers trained with the right (nondominant) hand; (3) right-handers trained with the left (nondominant) hand; and (4) right-handers trained with the right (dominant) hand. Intermanual transfer was measured using a task where subjects removed a Life Savers(®) candy (monkeys) or a washer (chimpanzees) from metal shapes. Transfer was measured with latency by comparing the average time taken to solve the task in the first session with the trained hand compared to the first session with the untrained hand. Hypotheses and predictions were derived from three models of transfer: access: benefit training with nondominant hand; proficiency: benefit training with dominant hand; and cross-activation: benefit irrespective of trained hand. Intermanual transfer (i.e., shorter latency in untrained hand) occurred regardless of whether monkeys trained with the dominant hand or nondominant hand, supporting the cross-activation model. However, transfer was only observed in chimpanzees that trained with the dominant hand. When handedness groups were examined separately, the transfer effect was only significant for right-handed chimpanzees, partially supporting the proficiency model. Findings may be related to neurophysiological differences in motor control as well as differences in handedness patterning between rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Boeving
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, DM 256, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
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