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Vallejo-Azar MN, Arenaza B, Elizalde Acevedo B, Alba-Ferrara L, Samengo I, Bendersky M, Gonzalez PN. Hemispheric asymmetries in cortical grey matter of gyri and sulci in modern human populations from South America. J Anat 2024; 244:815-830. [PMID: 38183319 PMCID: PMC11021627 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14001] [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: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural asymmetries of brain regions associated with lateralised functions have been extensively studied. However, there are fewer morphometric analyses of asymmetries of the gyri and sulci of the entire cortex. The current study assessed cortical asymmetries in a sample of healthy adults (N = 175) from an admixed population from South America. Grey matter volume and surface area of 66 gyri and sulci were quantified on T1 magnetic resonance images. The departure from zero of the differences between left and right hemispheres (L-R), a measure of directional asymmetry (DA), the variance of L-R, and an index of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) were evaluated for each region. Significant departures from perfect symmetry were found for most cortical gyri and sulci. Regions showed leftward asymmetry at the population level in the frontal lobe and superior lateral parts of the parietal lobe. Rightward asymmetry was found in the inferior parietal, occipital, frontopolar, and orbital regions, and the cingulate (anterior, middle, and posterior-ventral). Despite this general pattern, several sulci showed the opposite DA compared to the neighbouring gyri, which remarks the need to consider the neurobiological differences in gyral and sulcal development in the study of structural asymmetries. The results also confirm the absence of DA in most parts of the inferior frontal gyrus and the precentral region. This study contributes with data on populations underrepresented in the databases used in neurosciences. Among its findings, there is agreement with previous results obtained in populations of different ancestry and some discrepancies in the middle frontal and medial parietal regions. A significant DA not reported previously was found for the volume of long and short insular gyri and the central sulcus of the insula, frontomarginal, transverse frontopolar, paracentral, and middle and posterior parts of the cingulate gyrus and sulcus, gyrus rectus, occipital pole, and olfactory sulcus, as well as for the volume and area of the transverse collateral sulcus and suborbital sulcus. Also, several parcels displayed significant variability in the left-right differences, which can be partially attributable to developmental instability, a source of FA. Moreover, a few gyri and sulci displayed ideal FA with non-significant departures from perfect symmetry, such as subcentral and posterior cingulate gyri and sulci, inferior frontal and fusiform gyri, and the calcarine, transverse collateral, precentral, and orbital sulci. Overall, these results show that asymmetries are ubiquitous in the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana N Vallejo-Azar
- Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, ENyS (CONICET, Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche, Hospital El Cruce), Florencio Varela, Argentina
| | - Bautista Arenaza
- Department of Medical Physics and Instituto Balseiro, Centro Atómico Bariloche, CONICET, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Bautista Elizalde Acevedo
- Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, ENyS (CONICET, Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche, Hospital El Cruce), Florencio Varela, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), CONICET-Universidad Austral, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Lucía Alba-Ferrara
- Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, ENyS (CONICET, Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche, Hospital El Cruce), Florencio Varela, Argentina
| | - Inés Samengo
- Department of Medical Physics and Instituto Balseiro, Centro Atómico Bariloche, CONICET, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Mariana Bendersky
- Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, ENyS (CONICET, Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche, Hospital El Cruce), Florencio Varela, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula N Gonzalez
- Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos, ENyS (CONICET, Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche, Hospital El Cruce), Florencio Varela, Argentina
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Luppi AI, Rosas FE, Noonan MP, Mediano PAM, Kringelbach ML, Carhart-Harris RL, Stamatakis EA, Vernon AC, Turkheimer FE. Oxygen and the Spark of Human Brain Evolution: Complex Interactions of Metabolism and Cortical Expansion across Development and Evolution. Neuroscientist 2024; 30:173-198. [PMID: 36476177 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221138032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Scientific theories on the functioning and dysfunction of the human brain require an understanding of its development-before and after birth and through maturation to adulthood-and its evolution. Here we bring together several accounts of human brain evolution by focusing on the central role of oxygen and brain metabolism. We argue that evolutionary expansion of human transmodal association cortices exceeded the capacity of oxygen delivery by the vascular system, which led these brain tissues to rely on nonoxidative glycolysis for additional energy supply. We draw a link between the resulting lower oxygen tension and its effect on cytoarchitecture, which we posit as a key driver of genetic developmental programs for the human brain-favoring lower intracortical myelination and the presence of biosynthetic materials for synapse turnover. Across biological and temporal scales, this protracted capacity for neural plasticity sets the conditions for cognitive flexibility and ongoing learning, supporting complex group dynamics and intergenerational learning that in turn enabled improved nutrition to fuel the metabolic costs of further cortical expansion. Our proposed model delineates explicit mechanistic links among metabolism, molecular and cellular brain heterogeneity, and behavior, which may lead toward a clearer understanding of brain development and its disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea I Luppi
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Division of Anaesthesia, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK
| | - Fernando E Rosas
- Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Science, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Complexity Science, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - MaryAnn P Noonan
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Pedro A M Mediano
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Robin L Carhart-Harris
- Psychedelics Division-Neuroscape, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emmanuel A Stamatakis
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Division of Anaesthesia, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anthony C Vernon
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Federico E Turkheimer
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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3
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Chen YC, Tiego J, Segal A, Chopra S, Holmes A, Suo C, Pang JC, Fornito A, Aquino KM. A multiscale characterization of cortical shape asymmetries in early psychosis. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae015. [PMID: 38347944 PMCID: PMC10859637 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychosis has often been linked to abnormal cortical asymmetry, but prior results have been inconsistent. Here, we applied a novel spectral shape analysis to characterize cortical shape asymmetries in patients with early psychosis across different spatial scales. We used the Human Connectome Project for Early Psychosis dataset (aged 16-35), comprising 56 healthy controls (37 males, 19 females) and 112 patients with early psychosis (68 males, 44 females). We quantified shape variations of each hemisphere over different spatial frequencies and applied a general linear model to compare differences between healthy controls and patients with early psychosis. We further used canonical correlation analysis to examine associations between shape asymmetries and clinical symptoms. Cortical shape asymmetries, spanning wavelengths from about 22 to 75 mm, were significantly different between healthy controls and patients with early psychosis (Cohen's d = 0.28-0.51), with patients showing greater asymmetry in cortical shape than controls. A single canonical mode linked the asymmetry measures to symptoms (canonical correlation analysis r = 0.45), such that higher cortical asymmetry was correlated with more severe excitement symptoms and less severe emotional distress. Significant group differences in the asymmetries of traditional morphological measures of cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification, at either global or regional levels, were not identified. Cortical shape asymmetries are more sensitive than other morphological asymmetries in capturing abnormalities in patients with early psychosis. These abnormalities are expressed at coarse spatial scales and are correlated with specific symptom domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chi Chen
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Data Futures Institute, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
- Brain Dynamic Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney 2145, Australia
| | - Jeggan Tiego
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Ashlea Segal
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Sidhant Chopra
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Alexander Holmes
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- BrainPark, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - James C Pang
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Alex Fornito
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Kevin M Aquino
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
- Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
- BrainKey Inc, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
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4
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Gómez-Robles A, Nicolaou C, Smaers JB, Sherwood CC. The evolution of human altriciality and brain development in comparative context. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:133-146. [PMID: 38049480 PMCID: PMC10781642 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02253-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Human newborns are considered altricial compared with other primates because they are relatively underdeveloped at birth. However, in a broader comparative context, other mammals are more altricial than humans. It has been proposed that altricial development evolved secondarily in humans due to obstetrical or metabolic constraints, and in association with increased brain plasticity. To explore this association, we used comparative data from 140 placental mammals to measure how altriciality evolved in humans and other species. We also estimated how changes in brain size and gestation length influenced the timing of neurodevelopment during hominin evolution. Based on our data, humans show the highest evolutionary rate to become more altricial (measured as the proportion of adult brain size at birth) across all placental mammals, but this results primarily from the pronounced postnatal enlargement of brain size rather than neonatal changes. In addition, we show that only a small number of neurodevelopmental events were shifted to the postnatal period during hominin evolution, and that they were primarily related to the myelination of certain brain pathways. These results indicate that the perception of human altriciality is mostly driven by postnatal changes, and they point to a possible association between the timing of myelination and human neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK.
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Jeroen B Smaers
- Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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5
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Romero AN, Dickinson E, Turcotte CM, Terhune CE. Skeletal age during hurricane impacts fluctuating asymmetry in Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10425. [PMID: 37575591 PMCID: PMC10421717 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As natural disasters become more frequent due to climate change, understanding the biological impact of these ecological catastrophes on wild populations becomes increasingly pertinent. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), or random deviations from bilateral symmetry, is reflective of developmental instability and has long been positively associated with increases in environmental stress. This study investigates craniofacial FA in a population of free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that has experienced multiple Category 3 hurricanes since the colony's inception on Cayo Santiago, including 275 individuals from ages 9 months to 31 years (F = 154; M = 121). Using geometric morphometrics to quantify FA and a linear mixed-effect model for analysis, we found that sex, age, and decade of birth did not influence the amount of FA in the individuals included in the study, but the developmental stage at which individuals experienced these catastrophic events greatly impacted the amount of FA exhibited (p = .001). Individuals that experienced these hurricanes during fetal life exhibited greater FA than any other post-natal developmental period. These results indicate that natural disasters can be associated with developmental disruption that results in long-term effects if occurring during the prenatal period, possibly due to increases in maternal stress-related hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashly N. Romero
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
- Department of Basic Medical SciencesUniversity of Arizona College of Medicine – PhoenixPhoenixArizonaUSA
| | - Edwin Dickinson
- College of Osteopathic MedicineNew York Institute of TechnologyOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
| | - Cassandra M. Turcotte
- College of Osteopathic MedicineNew York Institute of TechnologyOld WestburyNew YorkUSA
| | - Claire E. Terhune
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleArkansasUSA
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6
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Messina A, Cuccì G, Crescimanno C, Signorelli MS. Clinical anatomy of the precuneus and pathogenesis of the schizophrenia. Anat Sci Int 2023:10.1007/s12565-023-00730-w. [PMID: 37340095 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00730-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence has shown that the precuneus plays a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The precuneus is a structure of the parietal lobe's medial and posterior cortex, representing a central hub involved in multimodal integration processes. Although neglected for several years, the precuneus is highly complex and crucial for multimodal integration. It has extensive connections with different cerebral areas and is an interface between external stimuli and internal representations. In human evolution, the precuneus has increased in size and complexity, allowing the development of higher cognitive functions, such as visual-spatial ability, mental imagery, episodic memory, and other tasks involved in emotional processing and mentalization. This paper reviews the functions of the precuneus and discusses them concerning the psychopathological aspects of schizophrenia. The different neuronal circuits, such as the default mode network (DMN), in which the precuneus is involved and its alterations in the structure (grey matter) and the disconnection of pathways (white matter) are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonino Messina
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| | | | | | - Maria Salvina Signorelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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7
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de Sousa AA, Beaudet A, Calvey T, Bardo A, Benoit J, Charvet CJ, Dehay C, Gómez-Robles A, Gunz P, Heuer K, van den Heuvel MP, Hurst S, Lauters P, Reed D, Salagnon M, Sherwood CC, Ströckens F, Tawane M, Todorov OS, Toro R, Wei Y. From fossils to mind. Commun Biol 2023; 6:636. [PMID: 37311857 PMCID: PMC10262152 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04803-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Fossil endocasts record features of brains from the past: size, shape, vasculature, and gyrification. These data, alongside experimental and comparative evidence, are needed to resolve questions about brain energetics, cognitive specializations, and developmental plasticity. Through the application of interdisciplinary techniques to the fossil record, paleoneurology has been leading major innovations. Neuroimaging is shedding light on fossil brain organization and behaviors. Inferences about the development and physiology of the brains of extinct species can be experimentally investigated through brain organoids and transgenic models based on ancient DNA. Phylogenetic comparative methods integrate data across species and associate genotypes to phenotypes, and brains to behaviors. Meanwhile, fossil and archeological discoveries continuously contribute new knowledge. Through cooperation, the scientific community can accelerate knowledge acquisition. Sharing digitized museum collections improves the availability of rare fossils and artifacts. Comparative neuroanatomical data are available through online databases, along with tools for their measurement and analysis. In the context of these advances, the paleoneurological record provides ample opportunity for future research. Biomedical and ecological sciences can benefit from paleoneurology's approach to understanding the mind as well as its novel research pipelines that establish connections between neuroanatomy, genes and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Évolution, Paléoécosystèmes et Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM), UMR 7262 CNRS & Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Tanya Calvey
- Division of Clinical Anatomy and Biological Anthropology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Ameline Bardo
- UMR 7194, CNRS-MNHN, Département Homme et Environnement, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Julien Benoit
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Christine J Charvet
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Colette Dehay
- University of Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, F-69500, Bron, France
| | | | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Heuer
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité de Neuroanatomie Appliquée et Théorique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | | | - Shawn Hurst
- University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Pascaline Lauters
- Institut royal des Sciences naturelles, Direction Opérationnelle Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Denné Reed
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mathilde Salagnon
- CNRS, CEA, IMN, GIN, UMR 5293, Université Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- PACEA UMR 5199, CNRS, Université Bordeaux, Pessac, France
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Felix Ströckens
- C. & O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mirriam Tawane
- Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Orlin S Todorov
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Roberto Toro
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité de Neuroanatomie Appliquée et Théorique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Yongbin Wei
- Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing, China
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Pearson A, Bruner E, Polly PD. Updated imaging and phylogenetic comparative methods reassess relative temporal lobe size in anthropoids and modern humans. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 180:768-776. [PMID: 36789740 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Two decades ago, Rilling and Seligman, hereafter abbreviated to RAS Study, suggested modern humans had relatively larger temporal lobes for brain size compared to other anthropoids. Despite many subsequent studies drawing conclusions about the evolutionary implications for the emergence of unique cerebral specializations in Homo sapiens, no re-assessment has occurred using updated methodologies. METHODS We reassessed the association between right temporal lobe volume (TLV) and right hemisphere volume (HV) in the anthropoid brain. In a sample compiled de novo by us, T1-weighted in vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of 11 extant anthropoid species were calculated by-voxel from the MRI and the raw data from RAS Study directly compared to our sample. Phylogenetic Generalized Least-Squares (PGLS) regression and trait-mapping using Blomberg's K (kappa) tested the correlation between HV and TLV accounting for anthropoid phylogeny, while bootstrapped PGLS regressions tested difference in slopes and intercepts between monkey and ape subsamples. RESULTS PGLS regressions indicated statistically significant correlations (r2 < 0.99; p ≤ 0.0001) between TLV and HV with moderate influence from phylogeny (K ≤ 0.42). Bootstrapped PGLS regression did not show statistically significant differences in slopes between monkeys and apes but did for intercepts. In our sample, human TLV was not larger than expected for anthropoids. DISCUSSION Updated imaging, increased sample size and advanced statistical analyses did not find statistically significant results that modern humans possessed a disproportionately large temporal lobe volume compared to the general anthropoid trend. This has important implications for human and non-human primate brain evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alannah Pearson
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Emiliano Bruner
- Paleoneurobiology of Hominins, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
| | - P David Polly
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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9
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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.
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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
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10
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Wilson LAB. Developmental instability in domesticated mammals. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:484-494. [PMID: 34813170 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Measures of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) have been adopted widely as an estimate of developmental instability. Arising from various sources of stress, developmental instability is associated with an organism's capacity to maintain fitness. The process of domestication has been framed as an environmental stress with human-specified parameters, suggesting that FA may manifest to a larger degree among domesticates compared to their wild relatives. This study used three-dimensional geometric morphometric landmark data to (a) quantify the amount of FA in the cranium of six domestic mammal species and their wild relatives and, (b) provide novel assessment of the commonalities and differences across domestic/wild pairs concerning the extent to which random variation arising from the developmental system assimilates into within-population variation. The majority of domestic mammals showed greater disparity for asymmetric shape, however, only two forms (Pig, Dog) showed significantly higher disparity as well as a higher degree of asymmetry compared to their wild counterparts (Wild Boar, Wolf). Contra to predictions, most domestic and wild forms did not show a statistically significant correspondence between symmetric shape variation and FA, however, a moderate correlation value was recorded for most pairs (r-partial least squares >0.5). Within pairs, domestic and wild forms showed similar correlation magnitudes for the relationship between the asymmetric and symmetric components. In domesticates, new variation may therefore retain a general, conserved pattern in the gross structuring of the cranium, whilst also being a source for response to selection on specific features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A B Wilson
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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11
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Neuroplasticity as a Foundation for Decision-Making in Space. NEUROSCI 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/neurosci3030033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This is an exploratory review of two very recent, intersecting segments of space science: neuroplasticity in space, and decision-making in space. The high level of neuroplasticity in humans leads to unfortunate neurological and physical deconditioning while the body adjusts to the new space environment. However, neuroplasticity may also allow recovery and continued functioning of decision-making at a level necessary for mission completion. Cosmic radiation, microgravity, heightened levels of carbon dioxide in spacecraft, and other factors are being explored as root causes of neurological and physical deconditioning in space. The goal of this paper is to explore some of the lines of causation that show how these factors affect the capacity of humans to make decisions in space. Either alone or in groups, it remains essential that humans retain an ability to make decisions that will save lives, protect equipment, complete missions, and return safely to Earth. A final section addresses healthcare, medical intervention, and remediation that could help to “harness” neuroplasticity before, during, and after spaceflight. The dual nature of human neuroplasticity renders it both a cause of problems and also potentially the foundation of remediation. The future of research on both neuroplasticity and human decision-making promises to be full of surprises, both welcome and otherwise. It is an exciting time in research on space medicine.
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12
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Can a Neandertal meditate? An evolutionary view of attention as a core component of general intelligence. INTELLIGENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2022.101668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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13
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de Jager EJ, Risser L, Mescam M, Fonta C, Beaudet A. Sulci 3D mapping from human cranial endocasts: A powerful tool to study hominin brain evolution. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4433-4443. [PMID: 35661328 PMCID: PMC9435008 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Key questions in paleoneurology concern the timing and emergence of derived cerebral features within the human lineage. Endocasts are replicas of the internal table of the bony braincase that are widely used in paleoneurology as a proxy for reconstructing a timeline for hominin brain evolution in the fossil record. The accurate identification of cerebral sulci imprints in endocasts is critical for assessing the topographic extension and structural organisation of cortical regions in fossil hominins. High‐resolution imaging techniques combined with established methods based on population‐specific brain atlases offer new opportunities for tracking detailed endocranial characteristics. This study provides the first documentation of sulcal pattern imprints from the superolateral surface of the cerebrum using a population‐based atlas technique on extant human endocasts. Human crania from the Pretoria Bone Collection (South Africa) were scanned using micro‐CT. Endocasts were virtually extracted, and sulci were automatically detected and manually labelled. A density map method was applied to project all the labels onto an averaged endocast to visualise the mean distribution of each identified sulcal imprint. This method allowed for the visualisation of inter‐individual variation of sulcal imprints, for example, frontal lobe sulci, correlating with previous brain‐MRI studies and for the first time the extensive overlapping of imprints in historically debated areas of the endocast (e.g. occipital lobe). In providing an innovative, non‐invasive, observer‐independent method to investigate human endocranial structural organisation, our analytical protocol introduces a promising perspective for future research in paleoneurology and for discussing critical hypotheses on the evolution of cognitive abilities among hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin John de Jager
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Laurent Risser
- Institute de Mathématiques de Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Muriel Mescam
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CerCo), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Caroline Fonta
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CerCo), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,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
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14
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McGrath K, Eriksen AB, García-Martínez D, Galbany J, Gómez-Robles A, Massey JS, Fatica LM, Glowacka H, Arbenz-Smith K, Muvunyi R, Stoinski TS, Cranfield MR, Gilardi K, Shalukoma C, de Merode E, Gilissen E, Tocheri MW, McFarlin SC, Heuzé Y. Facial asymmetry tracks genetic diversity among Gorilla subspecies. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212564. [PMID: 35193404 PMCID: PMC8864355 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mountain gorillas are particularly inbred compared to other gorillas and even the most inbred human populations. As mountain gorilla skeletal material accumulated during the 1970s, researchers noted their pronounced facial asymmetry and hypothesized that it reflects a population-wide chewing side preference. However, asymmetry has also been linked to environmental and genetic stress in experimental models. Here, we examine facial asymmetry in 114 crania from three Gorilla subspecies using 3D geometric morphometrics. We measure fluctuating asymmetry (FA), defined as random deviations from perfect symmetry, and population-specific patterns of directional asymmetry (DA). Mountain gorillas, with a current population size of about 1000 individuals, have the highest degree of facial FA (explaining 17% of total facial shape variation), followed by Grauer gorillas (9%) and western lowland gorillas (6%), despite the latter experiencing the greatest ecological and dietary variability. DA, while significant in all three taxa, explains relatively less shape variation than FA does. Facial asymmetry correlates neither with tooth wear asymmetry nor increases with age in a mountain gorilla subsample, undermining the hypothesis that facial asymmetry is driven by chewing side preference. An examination of temporal trends shows that stress-induced developmental instability has increased over the last 100 years in these endangered apes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate McGrath
- State University of New York, College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY 13820, USA,Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33615, Pessac, France,Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA,Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Daniel García-Martínez
- Physical Anthropology Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Galbany
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33615, Pessac, France,Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton St, London WC1H 0BW, UK
| | - Jason S. Massey
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Lawrence M. Fatica
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33615, Pessac, France,Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Halszka Glowacka
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix 85004, USA
| | - Keely Arbenz-Smith
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Richard Muvunyi
- Department of Tourism and Conservation, Rwanda Development Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Michael R. Cranfield
- Gorilla Doctors (MGVP, Inc.), Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kirsten Gilardi
- Gorilla Doctors (MGVP, Inc.), Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chantal Shalukoma
- Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, Virunga National Park, Rumangabo, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Emmanuel de Merode
- Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, Virunga National Park, Rumangabo, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium,Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthew W. Tocheri
- Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7B 5E1,Human Origins Program, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33615, Pessac, France,Human Origins Program, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Yann Heuzé
- State University of New York, College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY 13820, USA
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15
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Romero AN, Mitchell DR, Cooke SB, Kirchhoff CA, Terhune CE. Craniofacial fluctuating asymmetry in gorillas, chimpanzees, and macaques. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 177:286-299. [PMID: 36790754 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Craniofacial fluctuating asymmetry (FA) refers to the random deviations from symmetry exhibited across the craniofacial complex and can be used as a measure of developmental instability for organisms with bilateral symmetry. This article addresses the lack of data on craniofacial FA in nonhuman primates by analyzing FA magnitude and variation in chimpanzees, gorillas, and macaques. We offer a preliminary investigation into how FA, as a proxy for developmental instability, varies within and among nonhuman primates. MATERIALS AND METHODS We generated 3D surface models of 121 crania from Pan troglodytes troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, and Macaca fascicularis fascicularis. Using geometric morphometric techniques, the magnitude of observed FA was calculated and compared for each individual, sex, and taxon, along with the variation of FA across cranial regions and for each bilateral landmark. RESULTS Gorillas and macaques exhibited higher and more similar magnitudes of FA to each other than either taxon did to chimpanzees; variation in magnitude of FA followed this same trend. No significant differences were detected between sexes using pooled data across species, but sex did influence FA magnitude within taxa in gorillas. Further, variation in FA variance across cranial regions and by landmark was not distributed in any particular pattern. CONCLUSION Possible environmentally induced causes for these patterns of FA magnitude include differences in growth rate and physiological stress experienced during life. Developmental stability may be greatest in chimpanzees in this sample. Additionally, these results point to appropriate landmarks for future FA analyses and may help suggest more urgent candidate taxa for conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashly N Romero
- Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - D Rex Mitchell
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Siobhán B Cooke
- Department of Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Claire A Kirchhoff
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Claire E Terhune
- Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
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16
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Abstract
Brain asymmetry is a hallmark of the human brain. Recent studies report a certain degree of abnormal asymmetry of brain lateralization between left and right brain hemispheres can be associated with many neuropsychiatric conditions. In this regard, some questions need answers. First, the accelerated brain asymmetry is programmed during the pre-natal period that can be called “accelerated brain decline clock”. Second, can we find the right biomarkers to predict these changes? Moreover, can we establish the dynamics of these changes in order to identify the right time window for proper interventions that can reverse or limit the neurological decline? To find answers to these questions, we performed a systematic online search for the last 10 years in databases using keywords. Conclusion: we need to establish the right in vitro model that meets human conditions as much as possible. New biomarkers are necessary to establish the “good” or the “bad” borders of brain asymmetry at the epigenetic and functional level as early as possible.
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17
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Chen YC, Arnatkevičiūtė A, McTavish E, Pang JC, Chopra S, Suo C, Fornito A, Aquino KM. The individuality of shape asymmetries of the human cerebral cortex. eLife 2022; 11:75056. [PMID: 36197720 PMCID: PMC9668337 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Asymmetries of the cerebral cortex are found across diverse phyla and are particularly pronounced in humans, with important implications for brain function and disease. However, many prior studies have confounded asymmetries due to size with those due to shape. Here, we introduce a novel approach to characterize asymmetries of the whole cortical shape, independent of size, across different spatial frequencies using magnetic resonance imaging data in three independent datasets. We find that cortical shape asymmetry is highly individualized and robust, akin to a cortical fingerprint, and identifies individuals more accurately than size-based descriptors, such as cortical thickness and surface area, or measures of inter-regional functional coupling of brain activity. Individual identifiability is optimal at coarse spatial scales (~37 mm wavelength), and shape asymmetries show scale-specific associations with sex and cognition, but not handedness. While unihemispheric cortical shape shows significant heritability at coarse scales (~65 mm wavelength), shape asymmetries are determined primarily by subject-specific environmental effects. Thus, coarse-scale shape asymmetries are highly personalized, sexually dimorphic, linked to individual differences in cognition, and are primarily driven by stochastic environmental influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chi Chen
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Data Futures Institute, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Aurina Arnatkevičiūtė
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Eugene McTavish
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic UniversityFitzroyAustralia
| | - James C Pang
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Sidhant Chopra
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Department of Psychology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Chao Suo
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Alex Fornito
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Kevin M Aquino
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,School of Physics, University of SydneySydneyAustralia,Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, University of SydneySydneyAustralia,BrainKey IncSan FranciscoUnited States
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18
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Kubicka AM, Charlier P, Balzeau A. The Internal Cranial Anatomy of a Female With Endocrine Disorders From a Mediaeval Population. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:862047. [PMID: 35498425 PMCID: PMC9048198 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.862047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gigantism and acromegaly have been observed in past populations; however, analyses usually focus on the morphological features of the post-cranial skeleton. The aim of this study is to characterize the internal anatomical features of the skull (brain endocast anatomy and asymmetry, frontal pneumatization, cranial thickness, sella turcica size) of an adult individual from the 11-14th centuries with these two diseases, in comparison with non-pathological individuals from the same population. The material consisted of 33 adult skulls from a mediaeval population, one of them belonging to an adult female with endocrine disorders (OL-23/77). Based on the CT scans, the internal cranial anatomy was analysed. The sella turcica of OL-23/77 is much larger than in the comparative sample. The endocast of the individual OL-23/77 shows a left frontal/left occipital petalia, while the comparative population mostly had right frontal/left occipital petalias. The asymmetry in petalia location in OL-23/77 comes within the range of variation observed in the comparative population. The individual has high values for cranial thickness. The frontal sinuses of the specimen analysed are similar in size and shape to the comparative sample only for data scaled to the skull length. Enlarged sella turcica is typical for individuals with acromegaly/gigantism. The pattern of the left frontal/left occipital petalia in the specimen OL-23/77 is quite rare. The position of the endocranial petalias has not influenced the degree of asymmetry in the specimen. Despite the large bone thickness values, skull of OL-23/77 does not show any abnormal features. The skull/endocast relationship in this individual shows some peculiarities in relation to its large size, while other internal anatomical features are within the normal range of variation of the comparative sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Kubicka
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- PaleoFED Team, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 7194, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l’Homme, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Anna Maria Kubicka,
| | - Philippe Charlier
- Laboratoire Anthropologie, Archéologie, Biologie (LAAB), Unité de Formation à la Recherche (UFR) des Sciences de la Santé, Université Paris-Saclay (UVSQ) & Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
- Direction, Département de la Recherche et de L’Enseignement Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Balzeau
- PaleoFED Team, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 7194, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l’Homme, Paris, France
- Royal Museum for Central Africa, Department of African Zoology, Tervuren, Belgium
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19
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Abstract
We are interested here in the central organ of our thoughts: the brain. Advances in neuroscience have made it possible to obtain increasing information on the anatomy of this organ, at ever-higher resolutions, with different imaging techniques, on ever-larger samples. At the same time, paleoanthropology has to deal with partial reflections on the shape of the brain, on fragmentary specimens and small samples in an attempt to approach the morphology of the brain of past human species. It undeniably emerges from the perspective we propose here that paleoanthropology has much to gain from interacting more with the field of neuroimaging. Improving our understanding of the morphology of the endocast necessarily involves studying the external surface of the brain and the link it maintains with the internal surface of the skull. The contribution of neuroimaging will allow us to better define the relationship between brain and endocast. Models of intra- and inter-species variability in brain morphology inferred from large neuroimaging databases will help make the most of the rare endocasts of extinct species. We also conclude that exchanges between these two disciplines will also be beneficial to our knowledge of the Homo sapiens brain. Documenting the anatomy among other human species and including the variation over time within our own species are approaches that offer us a new perspective through which to appreciate what really characterizes the brain of humanity today.
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20
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Abstract
Little is known about how occipital lobe asymmetry, width, and height interact to contribute to the operculation of the posterior parietal lobe, despite the utility of knowing this for understanding the relative reduction in the size of the occipital lobe and the increase in the size of the posterior parietal lobe during human brain evolution. Here, we use linear measurements taken on 3D virtual brain surfaces obtained from 83 chimpanzees to study these traits as they apply to operculation of the posterior occipital parietal arcus or bridging gyrus. Asymmetry in this bridging gyrus visibility provides a unique opportunity to study both the human ancestral and human equivalently normal condition in the same individual. Our results show that all three traits (occipital lobe asymmetry, width, and height) are related to this operculation and bridging gyrus visibility but width and not height is the best predictor, against expectations, suggesting that relative reduction of the occipital lobe and exposure of the posterior parietal is a complex phenomenon.
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21
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Gonzalez PN, Vallejo-Azar M, Aristide L, Lopes R, Dos Reis SF, Perez SI. Endocranial asymmetry in New World monkeys: a comparative phylogenetic analysis of morphometric data. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:469-477. [PMID: 34455496 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02371-z] [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: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Brain lateralization is a widespread phenomenon although its expression across primates is still controversial due to the reduced number of species analyzed and the disparity of methods used. To gain insight into the diversification of neuroanatomical asymmetries in non-human primates we analyze the endocasts, as a proxy of external brain morphology, of a large sample of New World monkeys and test the effect of brain size, home range and group sizes in the pattern and magnitude of shape asymmetry. Digital endocasts from 26 species were obtained from MicroCT scans and a set of 3D coordinates was digitized on endocast surfaces. Results indicate that Ateles, Brachyteles, Callicebus and Cacajao tend to have a rightward frontal and a leftward occipital lobe asymmetry, whereas Aotus, Callitrichinae and Cebinae have either the opposite pattern or no directional asymmetry. Such differences in the pattern of asymmetry were associated with group and home range sizes. Conversely, its magnitude was significantly associated with brain size, with larger-brained species showing higher inter-hemispheric differences. These findings support the hypothesis that reduction in inter-hemispheric connectivity in larger brains favors the lateralization and increases the structural asymmetries, whereas the patterns of shape asymmetry might be driven by socio-ecological differences among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula N Gonzalez
- Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos (CONICET-UNAJ-HEC), Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Mariana Vallejo-Azar
- Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos (CONICET-UNAJ-HEC), Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Ricardo Lopes
- Centro de Tecnologia (UFRJ), Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - S Ivan Perez
- División Antropología (FCNyM-UNLP), CONICET, La Plata, Argentina
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22
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Cheng L, Zhang Y, Li G, Wang J, Sherwood C, Gong G, Fan L, Jiang T. Connectional asymmetry of the inferior parietal lobule shapes hemispheric specialization in humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques. eLife 2021; 10:e67600. [PMID: 34219649 PMCID: PMC8257252 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The inferior parietal lobule (IPL) is one of the most expanded cortical regions in humans relative to other primates. It is also among the most structurally and functionally asymmetric regions in the human cerebral cortex. Whether the structural and connectional asymmetries of IPL subdivisions differ across primate species and how this relates to functional asymmetries remain unclear. We identified IPL subregions that exhibited positive allometric in both hemispheres, scaling across rhesus macaque monkeys, chimpanzees, and humans. The patterns of IPL subregions asymmetry were similar in chimpanzees and humans, but no IPL asymmetries were evident in macaques. Among the comparative sample of primates, humans showed the most widespread asymmetric connections in the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices, constituting leftward asymmetric networks that may provide an anatomical basis for language and tool use. Unique human asymmetric connectivity between the IPL and primary motor cortex might be related to handedness. These findings suggest that structural and connectional asymmetries may underlie hemispheric specialization of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Cheng
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuanchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Gang Li
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jiaojian Wang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
| | - Chet Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington UniversityWashingtonUnited States
| | - Gaolang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Lingzhong Fan
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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23
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Vickery S, Hopkins WD, Sherwood CC, Schapiro SJ, Latzman RD, Caspers S, Gaser C, Eickhoff SB, Dahnke R, Hoffstaedter F. Chimpanzee brain morphometry utilizing standardized MRI preprocessing and macroanatomical annotations. eLife 2020; 9:e60136. [PMID: 33226338 PMCID: PMC7723405 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees are among the closest living relatives to humans and, as such, provide a crucial comparative model for investigating primate brain evolution. In recent years, human brain mapping has strongly benefited from enhanced computational models and image processing pipelines that could also improve data analyses in animals by using species-specific templates. In this study, we use structural MRI data from the National Chimpanzee Brain Resource (NCBR) to develop the chimpanzee brain reference template Juna.Chimp for spatial registration and the macro-anatomical brain parcellation Davi130 for standardized whole-brain analysis. Additionally, we introduce a ready-to-use image processing pipeline built upon the CAT12 toolbox in SPM12, implementing a standard human image preprocessing framework in chimpanzees. Applying this approach to data from 194 subjects, we find strong evidence for human-like age-related gray matter atrophy in multiple regions of the chimpanzee brain, as well as, a general rightward asymmetry in brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Vickery
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7) Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
| | - William D Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastropUnited States
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington UniversityWashingtonUnited States
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastropUnited States
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Robert D Latzman
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State UniversityAtlantaUnited States
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- JARA-BRAIN, Jülich-Aachen Research AllianceJülichGermany
| | - Christian Gaser
- Structural Brain Mapping Group, Department of Neurology, Jena University HospitalJenaGermany
- Structural Brain Mapping Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University HospitalJenaGermany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7) Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
| | - Robert Dahnke
- Structural Brain Mapping Group, Department of Neurology, Jena University HospitalJenaGermany
- Structural Brain Mapping Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University HospitalJenaGermany
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - Felix Hoffstaedter
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-UniversityDüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7) Research Centre JülichJülichGermany
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Graïc JM, Peruffo A, Corain L, Centelleghe C, Granato A, Zanellato E, Cozzi B. Asymmetry in the Cytoarchitecture of the Area 44 Homolog of the Brain of the Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:55. [PMID: 32973465 PMCID: PMC7471632 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the brain in apes and man followed a joint pathway stemming from common ancestors 5-10 million years ago. However, although apparently sharing similar organization and neurochemical properties, association areas of the isocortex remain one of the cornerstones of what sets humans aside from other primates. Brodmann's area 44, the area of Broca, is known for its implication in speech, and thus indirectly is a key mark of human uniqueness. This latero-caudal part of the frontal lobe shows a marked functional asymmetry in humans, and takes part in other complex functions, including learning and imitation, tool use, music and contains the mirror neuron system (MNS). Since the main features in the cytoarchitecture of Broca's area remains relatively constant in hominids, including in our closest relative, the chimpanzee Pan troglodytes, investigations on the finer structure, cellular organization, connectivity and eventual asymmetry of area 44 have a direct bearing on the understanding of the neural mechanisms at the base of our language. The semi-automated image analysis technology that we employed in the current study showed that the structure of the cortical layers of the chimpanzee contains elements of asymmetry that are discussed in relation to the corresponding human areas and the putative resulting disparity of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marie Graïc
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Antonella Peruffo
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Livio Corain
- Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Cinzia Centelleghe
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Alberto Granato
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zanellato
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Bruno Cozzi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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25
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Neubauer S, Gunz P, Scott NA, Hublin JJ, Mitteroecker P. Evolution of brain lateralization: A shared hominid pattern of endocranial asymmetry is much more variable in humans than in great apes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaax9935. [PMID: 32110727 PMCID: PMC7021492 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax9935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Brain lateralization is commonly interpreted as crucial for human brain function and cognition. However, as comparative studies among primates are rare, it is not known which aspects of lateralization are really uniquely human. Here, we quantify both pattern and magnitude of brain shape asymmetry based on endocranial imprints of the braincase in humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. Like previous studies, we found that humans were more asymmetric than chimpanzees, however so were gorillas and orangutans, highlighting the need to broaden the comparative framework for interpretation. We found that the average spatial asymmetry pattern, previously considered to be uniquely human, was shared among humans and apes. In humans, however, it was less directed, and different local asymmetries were less correlated. We, thus, found human asymmetry to be much more variable compared with that of apes. These findings likely reflect increased functional and developmental modularization of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Neubauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nadia A. Scott
- 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
- Collège de France, 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris, France
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26
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Alatorre Warren JL, Ponce de León MS, Hopkins WD, Zollikofer CPE. Evidence for independent brain and neurocranial reorganization during hominin evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:22115-22121. [PMID: 31611399 PMCID: PMC6825280 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1905071116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout hominin evolution, the brain of our ancestors underwent a 3-fold increase in size and substantial structural reorganization. However, inferring brain reorganization from fossil hominin neurocrania (=braincases) remains a challenge, above all because comparative data relating brain to neurocranial structures in living humans and great apes are still scarce. Here we use MRI and same-subject spatially aligned computed tomography (CT) and MRI data of humans and chimpanzees to quantify the spatial relationships between these structures, both within and across species. Results indicate that evolutionary changes in brain and neurocranial structures are largely independent of each other. The brains of humans compared to chimpanzees exhibit a characteristic posterior shift of the inferior pre- and postcentral gyri, indicative of reorganization of the frontal opercular region. Changes in human neurocranial structure do not reflect cortical reorganization. Rather, they reflect constraints related to increased encephalization and obligate bipedalism, resulting in relative enlargement of the parietal bones and anterior displacement of the cerebellar fossa. This implies that the relative position and size of neurocranial bones, as well as overall endocranial shape (e.g., globularity), should not be used to make inferences about evolutionary changes in the relative size or reorganization of adjacent cortical regions of fossil hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
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27
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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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Programa de Paleobiología de Homínidos, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
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28
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Poza-Rey EM, Gómez-Robles A, Arsuaga JL. Brain size and organization in the Middle Pleistocene hominins from Sima de los Huesos. Inferences from endocranial variation. J Hum Evol 2019; 129:67-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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29
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Multiple Components of Phylogenetic Non-stationarity in the Evolution of Brain Size in Fossil Hominins. Evol Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-019-09471-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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30
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Cerebral torque is human specific and unrelated to brain size. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:1141-1150. [PMID: 30635713 PMCID: PMC6499874 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-01818-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The term "cerebral torque" refers to opposing right-left asymmetries of frontal and parieto-occipital regions. These are assumed to derive from a lateralized gradient of embryological development of the human brain. To establish the timing of its evolution, we computed and compared the torque, in terms of three principal features, namely petalia, shift, and bending of the inter-hemispheric fissure as well as the inter-hemispheric asymmetry of brain length, height and width for in vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of 91 human and 78 chimpanzee brains. We found that the cerebral torque is specific to the human brain and that its magnitude is independent of brain size and that it comprises features that are inter-related. These findings are consistent with the concept that a "punctuational" genetic change of relatively large effect introduced lateralization in the hominid lineage. The existence of the cerebral torque remains an unsolved mystery and the present study provides further support for this most prominent structural brain asymmetry being specific to the human brain. Establishing the genetic origins of the torque may, therefore, have relevance for a better understanding on human evolution, the organisation of the human brain, and, perhaps, also aspects of the neural basis of language.
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31
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Nadal M, Chatterjee A. Neuroaesthetics and art's diversity and universality. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2018; 10:e1487. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Nadal
- Department of Psychology University of the Balearic Islands Palma de Mallorca Spain
| | - Anjan Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania
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32
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Abstract
The new species Homo naledi was discovered in 2013 in a remote cave chamber of the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. This species survived until between 226,000 and 335,000 y ago, placing it in continental Africa at the same time as the early ancestors of modern humans were arising. Yet, H. naledi was strikingly primitive in many aspects of its anatomy, including the small size of its brain. Here, we have provided a description of endocast anatomy of this primitive species. Despite its small brain size, H. naledi shared some aspects of human brain organization, suggesting that innovations in brain structure were ancestral within the genus Homo. Hominin cranial remains from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa, represent multiple individuals of the species Homo naledi. This species exhibits a small endocranial volume comparable to Australopithecus, combined with several aspects of external cranial anatomy similar to larger-brained species of Homo such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus. Here, we describe the endocast anatomy of this recently discovered species. Despite the small size of the H. naledi endocasts, they share several aspects of structure in common with other species of Homo, not found in other hominins or great apes, notably in the organization of the inferior frontal and lateral orbital gyri. The presence of such structural innovations in a small-brained hominin may have relevance to behavioral evolution within the genus Homo.
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33
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Morphological Biomarker Differentiating MCI Converters from Nonconverters: Longitudinal Evidence Based on Hemispheric Asymmetry. Behav Neurol 2018; 2018:3954101. [PMID: 29755611 PMCID: PMC5884406 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3954101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who may probably progress to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is important for better understanding the disease mechanisms and facilitating early treatments. In addition to the direct volumetric and thickness measurement based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hemispheric asymmetry could be a potential index to detect morphological variations in MCI patients with a high risk of conversion to AD. The present study collected a set of longitudinal MRI data from 53 MCI converters and nonconverters and investigated the asymmetry differences between groups. Asymmetry variation was observed in the medial temporal lobe, especially in the entorhinal cortex, between converters and nonconverters 3 years before the former developed AD. The proposed asymmetry analysis was observed to be sensitive to detect morphological changes between groups as compared to the methods of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and thickness measurement. Hemispheric asymmetry in specific brain regions as a neuroimaging biomarker can provide helpful information for prediction of MCI conversion.
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34
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Bruner E, Fedato A, Silva-Gago M, Alonso-Alcalde R, Terradillos-Bernal M, Fernández-Durantes MÁ, Martín-Guerra E. Cognitive archeology, body cognition, and hand–tool interaction. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:325-345. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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35
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Lenart J, Kogut K, Salinska E. Lateralization of housekeeping genes in the brain of one-day old chicks. Gene Expr Patterns 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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36
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Affiliation(s)
- Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052
| | - Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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37
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Li X, Crow TJ, Hopkins WD, Gong Q, Roberts N. Human torque is not present in chimpanzee brain. Neuroimage 2017; 165:285-293. [PMID: 29031530 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We searched for positional brain surface asymmetries measured as displacements between corresponding vertex pairs in relation to a mid-sagittal plane in Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of the brains of 223 humans and 70 chimpanzees. In humans deviations from symmetry were observed: 1) a Torque pattern comprising right-frontal and left-occipital "petalia" together with downward and rightward "bending" of the occipital extremity, 2) leftward displacement of the anterior temporal lobe and the anterior and central segments of superior temporal sulcus (STS), and 3) posteriorly in the position of left occipito-temporal surface accompanied by a clockwise rotation of the left Sylvian Fissure around the left-right axis. None of these asymmetries was detected in the chimpanzee, nor was associated with a sex difference. However, 4) an area of cortex with its long axis parallel to the olfactory tract in the orbital surface of the frontal lobe was found in humans to be located higher on the left in females and higher on the right in males. In addition whereas the two hemispheres of the chimpanzee brain are equal in extent in each of the three dimensions of space, in the human brain the left hemisphere is longer (p = 3.6e-12), and of less height (p = 1.9e-3), but equal in width compared to the right. Thus the asymmetries in the human brain are potential correlates of the evolution of the faculty of language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy J Crow
- POWIC, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
| | - William D Hopkins
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30029, USA; Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Neil Roberts
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom.
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38
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Raichlen DA, Alexander GE. Adaptive Capacity: An Evolutionary Neuroscience Model Linking Exercise, Cognition, and Brain Health. Trends Neurosci 2017; 40:408-421. [PMID: 28610948 PMCID: PMC5926798 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The field of cognitive neuroscience was transformed by the discovery that exercise induces neurogenesis in the adult brain, with the potential to improve brain health and stave off the effects of neurodegenerative disease. However, the basic mechanisms underlying exercise-brain connections are not well understood. We use an evolutionary neuroscience approach to develop the adaptive capacity model (ACM), detailing how and why physical activity improves brain function based on an energy-minimizing strategy. Building on studies showing a combined benefit of exercise and cognitive challenge to enhance neuroplasticity, our ACM addresses two fundamental questions: (i) what are the proximate and ultimate mechanisms underlying age-related brain atrophy, and (ii) how do lifestyle changes influence the trajectory of healthy and pathological aging?
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Raichlen
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, 1009 East South Campus Drive, Tucson AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Gene E Alexander
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA
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39
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Bruner E. Language, Paleoneurology, and the Fronto-Parietal System. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:349. [PMID: 28713257 PMCID: PMC5491953 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Programa de Paleobiología, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución HumanaBurgos, Spain
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40
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Hopkins WD, Li X, Crow T, Roberts N. Vertex- and atlas-based comparisons in measures of cortical thickness, gyrification and white matter volume between humans and chimpanzees. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:229-245. [PMID: 27100220 PMCID: PMC8401708 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1213-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
What changes in cortical organisation characterise global and localised variation between humans and chimpanzees remains a topic of considerable interest in evolutionary neuroscience. Here, we examined regional variation in cortical thickness, gyrification and white matter in samples of human and chimpanzee brains. Both species were MRI scanned on the same platform using identical procedures. The images were processed and segmented by FSL and FreeSurfer and the relative changes in cortical thickness, gyrification and white matter across the entire cortex were compared between species. In general, relative to chimpanzees, humans had significantly greater gyrification and significantly thinner cortex, particularly in the frontal lobe. Human brains also had disproportionately higher white matter volumes in the frontal lobe, particularly in prefrontal regions. Collectively, the findings suggest that after the split from the common ancestor, white matter expansion and subsequently increasing gyrification occurred in the frontal lobe possibly due to increased selection for human cognitive and motor specialisations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5030, 30302, Atlanta, Georgia.
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 30329, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Xiang Li
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH13 0HT, UK
| | - Tim Crow
- SANE POWIC, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
| | - Neil Roberts
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH13 0HT, UK
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41
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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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42
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Wachinger C, Salat DH, Weiner M, Reuter M. Whole-brain analysis reveals increased neuroanatomical asymmetries in dementia for hippocampus and amygdala. Brain 2016; 139:3253-3266. [PMID: 27913407 PMCID: PMC5840883 DOI: 10.1093/brain/aww243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural magnetic resonance imaging data are frequently analysed to reveal morphological changes of the human brain in dementia. Most contemporary imaging biomarkers are scalar values, such as the volume of a structure, and may miss the localized morphological variation of early presymptomatic disease progression. Neuroanatomical shape descriptors, however, can represent complex geometric information of individual anatomical regions and may demonstrate increased sensitivity in association studies. Yet, they remain largely unexplored. In this article, we introduce a novel technique to study shape asymmetries of neuroanatomical structures across subcortical and cortical brain regions. We demonstrate that neurodegeneration of subcortical structures in Alzheimer's disease is not symmetric. The hippocampus shows a significant increase in asymmetry longitudinally and both hippocampus and amygdala show a significantly higher asymmetry cross-sectionally concurrent with disease severity above and beyond an ageing effect. Our results further suggest that the asymmetry in these structures is undirectional and that primarily the anterior hippocampus becomes asymmetric. Based on longitudinal asymmetry measures we subsequently study the progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, demonstrating that shape asymmetry in hippocampus, amygdala, caudate and cortex is predictive of disease onset. The same analyses on scalar volume measurements did not produce any significant results, indicating that shape asymmetries, potentially induced by morphometric changes in subnuclei, rather than size asymmetries are associated with disease progression and can yield a powerful imaging biomarker for the early presymptomatic classification and prediction of Alzheimer's disease. Because literature has focused on contralateral volume differences, subcortical disease lateralization may have been overlooked thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wachinger
- 1 A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- 2 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
- 3 Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David H Salat
- 1 A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- 4 Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
| | - Michael Weiner
- 5 University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco CA, 94121 USA
| | - Martin Reuter
- 1 A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- 3 Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- 4 Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
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43
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Variability of brain anatomy for three common mouse strains. Neuroimage 2016; 142:656-662. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Barbeito-Andrés J, Bernal V, Gonzalez PN. Morphological asymmetries of mouse brain assessed by geometric morphometric analysis of MRI data. Magn Reson Imaging 2016; 34:980-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Bruner E, Bondioli L, Coppa A, Frayer DW, Holloway RL, Libsekal Y, Medin T, Rook L, Macchiarelli R. The endocast of the one-million-year-old human cranium from Buia (UA 31), Danakil Eritrea. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 160:458-68. [PMID: 27040007 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Homo erectus-like cranium from Buia (UA 31) was found in the Eritrean Danakil depression and dated to 1 million years. Its outer morphology displays archaic traits, as well as distinctive and derived characters. The present study provides the description and metric comparison of its endocranial anatomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS UA 31 was originally filled by a diffuse concretion. Following its removal and cleaning, the endocast (995 cc) was reconstructed after physical molding and digital scan. Its morphology is here compared with specimens belonging to different human taxa, taking into account endocranial metrics, cortical traits, and craniovascular features. RESULTS The endocast is long and narrow when compared to the H. erectus/ergaster hypodigm, although its proportions are compatible with the morphology displayed by all archaic and medium-brained human species. The occipital areas display a pronounced bulging, the cerebellum is located in a posterior position, and the middle meningeal vessels are more developed in the posterior regions. These features are common among specimens attributed to H. erectus s.l., particularly the Middle Pleistocene endocasts from Zhoukoudian. The parietal lobes are markedly bossed. This lateral bulging is associated with the lower parietal circumvolutions, as in other archaic specimens. This pronounced parietal curvature is apparently due to a narrow cranial base, more than to wider parietal areas. CONCLUSIONS The endocast of UA 31 shows a general plesiomorphic phenotype, with some individual features (e.g., dolichocephaly and rounded lower parietal areas) which confirm a remarkable degree of morphological variability within the H. erectus/ergaster hypodigm. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:458-468, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, 09002, Spain
| | - Luca Bondioli
- Sezione di Bioarcheologia, Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico "Luigi Pigorini", 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Alfredo Coppa
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Università di Roma "La Sapienza", 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - David W Frayer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, KS 66045-2110, Lawrence, USA
| | - Ralph L Holloway
- Department of Anthropology, Columbia University, 5532, New York, USA
| | | | - Tsegai Medin
- National Museum of Eritrea, 5284, Asmara, Eritrea.,Institut Catala de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Rook
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Firenze, 50121, Italy
| | - Roberto Macchiarelli
- UMR 7194 CNRS-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 75000, Paris, France.,Département Géosciences, Université de Poitiers, 86000, France
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46
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Evidence for expansion of the precuneus in human evolution. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:1053-1060. [PMID: 26725108 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1172-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of neurocranial morphology in Homo sapiens is characterized by bulging of the parietal region, a feature unique to our species. In modern humans, expansion of the parietal surface occurs during the first year of life, in a morphogenetic stage which is absent in chimpanzees and Neandertals. A similar variation in brain shape among living adult humans is associated with expansion of the precuneus. Using MRI-derived structural brain templates, we compare medial brain morphology between humans and chimpanzees through shape analysis and geometrical modeling. We find that the main spatial difference is a prominent expansion of the precuneus in our species, providing further evidence of evolutionary changes associated with this area. The precuneus is a major hub of brain organization, a central node of the default-mode network, and plays an essential role in visuospatial integration. Together, the comparative neuroanatomical and paleontological evidence suggest that precuneus expansion is a neurological specialization of H. sapiens that evolved in the last 150,000 years that may be associated with recent human cognitive specializations.
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Gómez-Robles A, Hopkins WD, Schapiro SJ, Sherwood CC. Relaxed genetic control of cortical organization in human brains compared with chimpanzees. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:14799-804. [PMID: 26627234 PMCID: PMC4672807 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1512646112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of hominin brain evolution has focused largely on the neocortical expansion and reorganization undergone by humans as inferred from the endocranial fossil record. Comparisons of modern human brains with those of chimpanzees provide an additional line of evidence to define key neural traits that have emerged in human evolution and that underlie our unique behavioral specializations. In an attempt to identify fundamental developmental differences, we have estimated the genetic bases of brain size and cortical organization in chimpanzees and humans by studying phenotypic similarities between individuals with known kinship relationships. We show that, although heritability for brain size and cortical organization is high in chimpanzees, cerebral cortical anatomy is substantially less genetically heritable than brain size in humans, indicating greater plasticity and increased environmental influence on neurodevelopment in our species. This relaxed genetic control on cortical organization is especially marked in association areas and likely is related to underlying microstructural changes in neural circuitry. A major result of increased plasticity is that the development of neural circuits that underlie behavior is shaped by the environmental, social, and cultural context more intensively in humans than in other primate species, thus providing an anatomical basis for behavioral and cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052; Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052;
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302; Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052; Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052
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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: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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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Cranial symmetry in baleen whales (Cetacea, Mysticeti) and the occurrence of cranial asymmetry throughout cetacean evolution. Naturwissenschaften 2015; 102:58. [PMID: 26336812 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-015-1309-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Revised: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Odontoceti and Mysticeti (toothed and baleen whales) originated from Eocene archaeocetes that had evolved from terrestrial artiodactyls. Cranial asymmetry is known in odontocetes that can hear ultrasound (>20,000 Hz) and has been linked to the split function of the nasal passage in breathing and vocalization. Recent results indicate that archaeocetes also had asymmetric crania. Their asymmetry has been linked to directional hearing in water, although hearing frequencies are still under debate. Mysticetes capable of low-frequency and infrasonic hearing (<20 Hz) are assumed to have symmetric crania. This study aims to resolve whether mysticete crania are indeed symmetric and whether mysticete cranial symmetry is plesiomorphic or secondary. Cranial shape was analyzed applying geometric morphometrics to three-dimensional (3D) cranial models of fossil and modern mysticetes, Eocene archaeocetes, modern artiodactyls, and modern odontocetes. Statistical tests include analysis of variance, principal components analysis, and discriminant function analysis. Results suggest that symmetric shape difference reflects general trends in cetacean evolution. Asymmetry includes significant fluctuating and directional asymmetry, the latter being very small. Mysticete crania are as symmetric as those of terrestrial artiodactyls and archaeocetes, without significant differences within Mysticeti. Odontocete crania are more asymmetric. These results indicate that (1) all mysticetes have symmetric crania, (2) archaeocete cranial asymmetry is not conspicuous in most of the skull but may yet be conspicuous in the rostrum, (3) directional cranial asymmetry is an odontocete specialization, and (4) directional cranial asymmetry is more likely related to echolocation than hearing.
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Masters M, Bruner E, Queer S, Traynor S, Senjem J. Analysis of the volumetric relationship among human ocular, orbital and fronto-occipital cortical morphology. J Anat 2015; 227:460-73. [PMID: 26250048 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research on the visual system has focused on investigating the relationship among eye (ocular), orbital, and visual cortical anatomy in humans. This issue is relevant in evolutionary and medical fields. In terms of evolution, only in modern humans and Neandertals are the orbits positioned beneath the frontal lobes, with consequent structural constraints. In terms of medicine, such constraints can be associated with minor deformation of the eye, vision defects, and patterns of integration among these features, and in association with the frontal lobes, are important to consider in reconstructive surgery. Further study is therefore necessary to establish how these variables are related, and to what extent ocular size is associated with orbital and cerebral cortical volumes. Relationships among these anatomical components were investigated using magnetic resonance images from a large sample of 83 individuals, which also included each subject's body height, age, sex, and uncorrected visual acuity score. Occipital and frontal gyri volumes were calculated using two different cortical parcellation tools in order to provide a better understanding of how the eye and orbit vary in relation to visual cortical gyri, and frontal cortical gyri which are not directly related to visual processing. Results indicated that ocular and orbital volumes were weakly correlated, and that eye volume explains only a small proportion of the variance in orbital volume. Ocular and orbital volumes were also found to be equally and, in most cases, more highly correlated with five frontal lobe gyri than with occipital lobe gyri associated with V1, V2, and V3 of the visual cortex. Additionally, after accounting for age and sex variation, the relationship between ocular and total visual cortical volume was no longer statistically significant, but remained significantly related to total frontal lobe volume. The relationship between orbital and visual cortical volumes remained significant for a number of occipital lobe gyri even after accounting for these cofactors, but was again found to be more highly correlated with the frontal cortex than with the occipital cortex. These results indicate that eye volume explains only a small amount of variation in orbital and visual cortical volume, and that the eye and orbit are generally more structurally associated with the frontal lobes than they are functionally associated with the visual cortex of the occipital lobes. Results also demonstrate that these components of the visual system are highly complex and influenced by a multitude of factors in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
| | | | | | - Jess Senjem
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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