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Kundu S, Sair H, Sherr EH, Mukherjee P, Rohde GK. Discovering the gene-brain-behavior link in autism via generative machine learning. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl5307. [PMID: 38865470 PMCID: PMC11168471 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl5307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Autism is traditionally diagnosed behaviorally but has a strong genetic basis. A genetics-first approach could transform understanding and treatment of autism. However, isolating the gene-brain-behavior relationship from confounding sources of variability is a challenge. We demonstrate a novel technique, 3D transport-based morphometry (TBM), to extract the structural brain changes linked to genetic copy number variation (CNV) at the 16p11.2 region. We identified two distinct endophenotypes. In data from the Simons Variation in Individuals Project, detection of these endophenotypes enabled 89 to 95% test accuracy in predicting 16p11.2 CNV from brain images alone. Then, TBM enabled direct visualization of the endophenotypes driving accurate prediction, revealing dose-dependent brain changes among deletion and duplication carriers. These endophenotypes are sensitive to articulation disorders and explain a portion of the intelligence quotient variability. Genetic stratification combined with TBM could reveal new brain endophenotypes in many neurodevelopmental disorders, accelerating precision medicine, and understanding of human neurodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinjini Kundu
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Haris Sair
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Elliott H. Sherr
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Pratik Mukherjee
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Gustavo K. Rohde
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
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2
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Hurst SD, Holloway RL, Balzeau A, Garvin HM, Vanti WB, Berger LR, Hawks J. The endocast morphology of LES1, Homo naledi. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e24983. [PMID: 38864146 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Homo naledi is near the extreme of small brain size within Homo but is easily recognized as Homo in other aspects of endocast morphology. This study adds new evidence of the endocast morphology of H. naledi by describing the Lesedi Hominin 1 (LES1) endocranium from the Lesedi Chamber and compares it to the previously known H. naledi individual Dinaledi Hominin 3 (DH3) as well as other hominin taxa. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined interlandmark distances with both univariate and multivariate methods in multiple hominin taxa and both species of Pan. For each distance, we compared groups using adjusted Z-scores (Azs). Our multivariate analyses included both principal component analyses (PCA) and linear discriminant analyses (LDA). RESULTS DH3 and LES1 each have absolute third frontal convolution measures that enter the upper half of the variation for Homo sapiens, Homo erectus, and Homo neanderthalensis. Examined relative to the cube root of endocranial volume, H. naledi ranks among the highest values in these samples of Homo. Both absolute and relative values for H. naledi specimens are far above Pan, Australopithecus, and Paranthropus, suggesting an expanded Broca's area. CONCLUSIONS Both qualitative and quantitative analyses show consistency between LES1 and other H. naledi endocasts and confirm the shared morphology of H. naledi with H. sapiens, H. neanderthalensis, and some specimens of H. erectus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn D Hurst
- Department of Biology, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, USA
| | | | - Antoine Balzeau
- Département Homme et Environnement, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, PaleoFED team, Paris, France
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Heather M Garvin
- Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, Des Moines, USA
- Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - William B Vanti
- Science and Engineering Library, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Lee R Berger
- Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- The National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, USA
- The Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
| | - John Hawks
- Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
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3
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Szakács H, Mutlu MC, Balestrieri G, Gombos F, Braun J, Kringelbach ML, Deco G, Kovács I. Navigating Pubertal Goldilocks: The Optimal Pace for Hierarchical Brain Organization. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2308364. [PMID: 38489748 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308364] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Adolescence is a timed process with an onset, tempo, and duration. Nevertheless, the temporal dimension, especially the pace of maturation, remains an insufficiently studied aspect of developmental progression. The primary objective is to estimate the precise influence of pubertal maturational tempo on the configuration of associative brain regions. To this end, the connection between maturational stages and the level of hierarchical organization of large-scale brain networks in 12-13-year-old females is analyzed. Skeletal maturity is used as a proxy for pubertal progress. The degree of maturity is defined by the difference between bone age and chronological age. To assess the level of hierarchical organization in the brain, the temporal dynamic of closed eye resting state high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in the alpha frequency range is analyzed. Different levels of hierarchical order are captured by the measured asymmetry in the directionality of information flow between different regions. The calculated EEG-based entropy production of participant groups is then compared with accelerated, average, and decelerated maturity. Results indicate that an average maturational trajectory optimally aligns with cerebral hierarchical order, and both accelerated and decelerated timelines result in diminished cortical organization. This suggests that a "Goldilocks rule" of brain development is favoring a particular maturational tempo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Szakács
- Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1 Mikszáth Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
- Semmelweis University Doctoral School, Division of Mental Health Sciences, 26 Üllői road, Budapest, 1085, Hungary
| | - Murat Can Mutlu
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Giulio Balestrieri
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 25-27 Ramon Trias Fargas, Barcelona, 08005, Spain
| | - Ferenc Gombos
- Laboratory for Psychological Research, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1 Mikszáth Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-PPKE Adolescent Development Research Group, 1 Mikszáth Kálmán Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
| | - Jochen Braun
- Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, 44 Leipziger Straße, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX3 9BX, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Nordre Ringgade 1, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 25-27 Ramon Trias Fargas, Barcelona, 08005, Spain
- Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 122-140 Carrer de Tànger, Barcelona, 08018, Spain
- Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 23 Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Ilona Kovács
- HUN-REN-ELTE-PPKE Adolescent Development Research Group, 1 Mikszáth Kálmán Square, Budapest, 1088, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, 25-27 Kazinczy Street, Budapest, 1075, Hungary
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4
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Funato N, Heliövaara A, Boeckx C. A regulatory variant impacting TBX1 expression contributes to basicranial morphology in Homo sapiens. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:939-953. [PMID: 38608674 PMCID: PMC11080286 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Changes in gene regulatory elements play critical roles in human phenotypic divergence. However, identifying the base-pair changes responsible for the distinctive morphology of Homo sapiens remains challenging. Here, we report a noncoding single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs41298798, as a potential causal variant contributing to the morphology of the skull base and vertebral structures found in Homo sapiens. Screening for differentially regulated genes between Homo sapiens and extinct relatives revealed 13 candidate genes associated with basicranial development, with TBX1, implicated in DiGeorge syndrome, playing a pivotal role. Epigenetic markers and in silico analyses prioritized rs41298798 within a TBX1 intron for functional validation. CRISPR editing revealed that the 41-base-pair region surrounding rs41298798 modulates gene expression at 22q11.21. The derived allele of rs41298798 acts as an allele-specific enhancer mediated by E2F1, resulting in increased TBX1 expression levels compared to the ancestral allele. Tbx1-knockout mice exhibited skull base and vertebral abnormalities similar to those seen in DiGeorge syndrome. Phenotypic differences associated with TBX1 deficiency are observed between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis). In conclusion, the regulatory divergence of TBX1 contributes to the formation of skull base and vertebral structures found in Homo sapiens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Funato
- Department of Signal Gene Regulation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Yushima 1-5-45, Bunkyo-ku 113-8510, Tokyo, Japan; Research Core, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Yushima 1-5-45, Bunkyo-ku 113-8510, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Arja Heliövaara
- Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center, Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital and Helsinki University, Stenbäckinkatu 11, P.O. Box 281, Helsinki FI-00029 HUS, Finland
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain; Section of General Linguistics, University of Barcelona, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 585, 08007 Barcelona, Spain; University of Barcelona Institute for Complex Systems, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 585, 08007 Barcelona, Spain; University of Barcelona Institute of Neurosciences, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 585, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
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5
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Vandervert L, Manto M, Adamaszek M, Ferrari C, Ciricugno A, Cattaneo Z. The Evolution of the Optimization of Cognitive and Social Functions in the Cerebellum and Thereby the Rise of Homo sapiens Through Cumulative Culture. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s12311-024-01692-z. [PMID: 38676835 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-024-01692-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of the prominent role of the cerebellum in the development of composite tools, and cumulative culture, leading to the rise of Homo sapiens is examined. Following Stout and Hecht's (2017) detailed description of stone-tool making, eight key repetitive involvements of the cerebellum are highlighted. These key cerebellar learning involvements include the following: (1) optimization of cognitive-social control, (2) prediction (3) focus of attention, (4) automaticity of smoothness, appropriateness, and speed of movement and cognition, (5) refined movement and social cognition, (6) learns models of extended practice, (7) learns models of Theory of Mind (ToM) of teachers, (8) is predominant in acquisition of novel behavior and cognition that accrues from the blending of cerebellar models sent to conscious working memory in the cerebral cortex. Within this context, the evolution of generalization and blending of cerebellar internal models toward optimization of social-cognitive learning is described. It is concluded that (1) repetition of movement and social cognition involving the optimization of internal models in the cerebellum during stone-tool making was the key selection factor toward social-cognitive and technological advancement, (2) observational learning during stone-tool making was the basis for both technological and social-cognitive evolution and, through an optimizing positive feedback loop between the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, the development of cumulative culture occurred, and (3) the generalization and blending of cerebellar internal models related to the unconscious forward control of the optimization of imagined future states in working memory was the most important brain adaptation leading to intertwined advances in stone-tool technology, cognitive-social processes behind cumulative culture (including the emergence of language and art) and, thereby, with the rise of Homo sapiens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mario Manto
- Cerebellar Ataxias Unit, CHU-Charleroi, Charleroi, 6000, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Michael Adamaszek
- Department of Clinical and Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Bavaria Hospital, Kreischa, Germany
| | - Chiara Ferrari
- Department of Humanities, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Ciricugno
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Milan, Italy
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6
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Moraes C, Varotto E, Artico M, Galassi FM, Forte F, Habicht ME. 3D facial approximation and endocast analysis of the Mummy of Minirdis (Ancient Egypt, ca. 2,300 Before Present). Morphologie 2024; 108:100781. [PMID: 38677263 DOI: 10.1016/j.morpho.2024.100781] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The present article offers the facial approximation of the mummy of the ancient Egyptian adolescent named Minirdis (ca. 2300 years BP) by means of anatomical analysis of video-images and through a facial approximation protocol implemented on more historical personages. An evaluation of the mummy's endocast is also offered. A potential diagnosis of Sotos syndrome is cautiously considered but its inherent limitations are detailed. Finally, the methodology is presented as a valuable tool both for bio-historical research and for further studies on normal and pathologic morphologies of the cranio-facial district.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Moraes
- Arc-Team Brazil, Sinop-MT, Brazil
| | - E Varotto
- College of Humanities, Art and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - M Artico
- Department of Sensory Organs, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - F M Galassi
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
| | - F Forte
- Science Department, School of Pharmacy, Roma TRE University, Rome Italy & Urology Department, MG Vannini Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - M E Habicht
- College of Humanities, Art and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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7
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Carrión-Castillo A, Boeckx C. Insights into the genetic architecture of cerebellar lobules derived from the UK Biobank. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9488. [PMID: 38664414 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59699-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
In this work we endeavor to further understand the genetic architecture of the cerebellum by examining the genetic underpinnings of the different cerebellar lob(ul)es, identifying their genetic relation to cortical and subcortical regions, as well as to psychiatric disorders, as well as traces of their evolutionary trajectories. We confirm the moderate heritability of cerebellar volumes, and reveal genetic clustering and variability across their different substructures, which warranted a detailed analysis using this higher structural resolution. We replicated known genetic correlations with several subcortical volumes, and report new cortico-cerebellar genetic correlations, including negative genetic correlations between anterior cerebellar lobules and cingulate, and positive ones between lateral Crus I and lobule VI with cortical measures in the fusiform region. Heritability partitioning for evolutionary annotations highlighted that the vermis of Crus II has depleted heritability in genomic regions of "archaic introgression deserts", but no enrichment/depletion of heritability in any other cerebellar regions. Taken together, these findings reveal novel insights into the genetic underpinnings of the different cerebellar lobules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaia Carrión-Castillo
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Barcelona, Spain.
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Neurosciences, Barcelona, Spain.
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
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8
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Meijer H. Janus faced: The co-evolution of war and peace in the human species. Evol Anthropol 2024:e22027. [PMID: 38623594 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22027] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The human species presents a paradox. No other species possesses the propensity to carry out coalitionary lethal attacks on adult conspecifics coupled with the inclination to establish peaceful relations with genetically unrelated groups. What explains this seemingly contradictory feature? Existing perspectives, the "deep roots" and "shallow roots" of war theses, fail to capture the plasticity of human intergroup behaviors, spanning from peaceful cooperation to warfare. By contrast, this article argues that peace and war have both deep roots, and they co-evolved through an incremental process over several million years. On the one hand, humans inherited the propensity for coalitionary lethal violence from their chimpanzee-like ancestor. Specifically, having first inherited the skills to engage in cooperative hunting, they gradually repurposed such capacity to execute coalitionary killings of adult conspecifics and subsequently enhanced it through technological innovations like the use of weapons. On the other hand, they underwent a process of cumulative cultural evolution and, subsequently, of self-domestication which led to heightened cooperative communication and increased prosocial behavior within and between groups. The combination of these two biocultural evolutionary processes-coupled with feedback loop effects between self-domestication and Pleistocene environmental variability-considerably broadened the human intergroup behavioral repertoire, thereby producing the distinctive combination of conflictual and peaceful intergroup relations that characterizes our species. To substantiate this argument, the article synthesizes and integrates the findings from a variety of disciplines, leveraging evidence from evolutionary anthropology, primatology, archeology, paleo-genetics, and paleo-climatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Meijer
- Sciences Po, Center for International Studies (CERI), Paris, France
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9
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Labra N, Mounier A, Leprince Y, Rivière D, Didier M, Bardinet E, Santin MD, Mangin JF, Filippo A, Albessard‐Ball L, Beaudet A, Broadfield D, Bruner E, Carlson KJ, Cofran Z, Falk D, Gilissen E, Gómez‐Robles A, Neubauer S, Pearson A, Röding C, Zhang Y, Balzeau A. What do brain endocasts tell us? A comparative analysis of the accuracy of sulcal identification by experts and perspectives in palaeoanthropology. J Anat 2024; 244:274-296. [PMID: 37935387 PMCID: PMC10780157 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13966] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Palaeoneurology is a complex field as the object of study, the brain, does not fossilize. Studies rely therefore on the (brain) endocranial cast (often named endocast), the only available and reliable proxy for brain shape, size and details of surface. However, researchers debate whether or not specific marks found on endocasts correspond reliably to particular sulci and/or gyri of the brain that were imprinted in the braincase. The aim of this study is to measure the accuracy of sulcal identification through an experiment that reproduces the conditions that palaeoneurologists face when working with hominin endocasts. We asked 14 experts to manually identify well-known foldings in a proxy endocast that was obtained from an MRI of an actual in vivo Homo sapiens head. We observe clear differences in the results when comparing the non-corrected labels (the original labels proposed by each expert) with the corrected labels. This result illustrates that trying to reconstruct a sulcus following the very general known shape/position in the literature or from a mean specimen may induce a bias when looking at an endocast and trying to follow the marks observed there. We also observe that the identification of sulci appears to be better in the lower part of the endocast compared to the upper part. The results concerning specific anatomical traits have implications for highly debated topics in palaeoanthropology. Endocranial description of fossil specimens should in the future consider the variation in position and shape of sulci in addition to using models of mean brain shape. Moreover, it is clear from this study that researchers can perceive sulcal imprints with reasonably high accuracy, but their correct identification and labelling remains a challenge, particularly when dealing with extinct species for which we lack direct knowledge of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Labra
- Département Homme et EnvironnementUMR 7194, CNRS, PaleoFED Team, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
| | - Aurélien Mounier
- Département Homme et EnvironnementUMR 7194, CNRS, PaleoFED Team, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
- Turkana Basin InstituteNairobiKenya
| | - Yann Leprince
- Université Paris‐Saclay, CEA, CNRS UMR 9027, Baobab, NeuroSpinGif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | - Denis Rivière
- Université Paris‐Saclay, CEA, CNRS UMR 9027, Baobab, NeuroSpinGif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | - Mélanie Didier
- ICM—Institut du Cerveau, Hôpital Pitié‐Salpêtrière, Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche—CENIRParisFrance
| | - Eric Bardinet
- ICM—Institut du Cerveau, Hôpital Pitié‐Salpêtrière, Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche—CENIRParisFrance
| | - Mathieu D. Santin
- ICM—Institut du Cerveau, Hôpital Pitié‐Salpêtrière, Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche—CENIRParisFrance
| | - Jean François Mangin
- Université Paris‐Saclay, CEA, CNRS UMR 9027, Baobab, NeuroSpinGif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | - Andréa Filippo
- Département Homme et EnvironnementUMR 7194, CNRS, PaleoFED Team, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
| | - Lou Albessard‐Ball
- Département Homme et EnvironnementUMR 7194, CNRS, PaleoFED Team, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
- Department of ArchaeologyPalaeoHub, University of YorkYorkUK
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Évolution, Paléoécosystèmes et Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM), UMR 7262 CNRSUniversité de PoitiersPoitiersFrance
| | | | - Emiliano Bruner
- Paleobiología, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución HumanaBurgosSpain
| | - Kristian J. Carlson
- Evolutionary Studies InstituteUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Palaeosciences CentreJohannesburgSouth Africa
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCaliforniaLos AngelesUSA
| | - Zachary Cofran
- Anthropology DepartmentVassar CollegePoughkeepsieNew YorkUSA
| | - Dean Falk
- Department of AnthropologyFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFloridaUSA
| | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African ZoologyRoyal Museum for Central AfricaTervurenBelgium
| | | | - Simon Neubauer
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell BiologyJohannes Kepler University LinzLinzAustria
| | - Alannah Pearson
- School of Archaeology and AnthropologyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Carolin Röding
- Paleoanthropology, Institute for Archaeological Sciences and Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and PaleoenvironmentEberhard Karls University of TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Yameng Zhang
- Institute of Cultural HeritageShandong UniversityQingdaoShandongChina
| | - Antoine Balzeau
- Département Homme et EnvironnementUMR 7194, CNRS, PaleoFED Team, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelleParisFrance
- Department of African ZoologyRoyal Museum for Central AfricaTervurenBelgium
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10
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Straight PJ, Gignac PM, Kuenzel WJ. Mapping the avian visual tectofugal pathway using 3D reconstruction. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25558. [PMID: 38047431 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25558] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Image processing in amniotes is usually accomplished by the thalamofugal and/or tectofugal visual systems. In laterally eyed birds, the tectofugal system dominates with functions such as color and motion processing, spatial orientation, stimulus identification, and localization. This makes it a critical system for complex avian behavior. Here, the brains of chicks, Gallus gallus, were used to produce serial brain sections in either coronal, sagittal, or horizontal planes and stained with either Nissl and Gallyas silver myelin or Luxol fast blue stain and cresyl echt violet (CEV). The emerging techniques of diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT) coupled with serial histochemistry in three planes were used to generate a comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) model of the avian tectofugal visual system. This enabled the 3D reconstruction of tectofugal circuits, including the three primary neuronal projections. Specifically, major components of the system included four regions of the retina, layers of the optic tectum, subdivisions of the nucleus rotundus in the thalamus, the entopallium in the forebrain, and supplementary components connecting into or out of this major avian visual sensory system. The resulting 3D model enabled a better understanding of the structural components and connectivity of this complex system by providing a complete spatial organization that occupied several distinct brain regions. We demonstrate how pairing diceCT with traditional histochemistry is an effective means to improve the understanding of, and thereby should generate insights into, anatomical and functional properties of complicated neural pathways, and we recommend this approach to clarify enigmatic properties of these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker J Straight
- Poultry Science Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Paul M Gignac
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department, University of Arizona Health Sciences, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Anatomy and Cell Biology Department, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Wayne J Kuenzel
- Poultry Science Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
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11
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Piszczek L, Kaczanowska J, Haubensak W. Towards correlative archaeology of the human mind. Biol Chem 2024; 405:5-12. [PMID: 37819768 PMCID: PMC10687516 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Retracing human cognitive origins started out at the systems level with the top-down interpretation of archaeological records spanning from man-made artifacts to endocasts of ancient skulls. With emerging evolutionary genetics and organoid technologies, it is now possible to deconstruct evolutionary processes on a molecular/cellular level from the bottom-up by functionally testing archaic alleles in experimental models. The current challenge is to complement these approaches with novel strategies that allow a holistic reconstruction of evolutionary patterns across human cognitive domains. We argue that computational neuroarcheology can provide such a critical mesoscale framework at the brain network-level, linking molecular/cellular (bottom-up) to systems (top-down) level data for the correlative archeology of the human mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Piszczek
- Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, A-Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Wulf Haubensak
- Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, A-Vienna, Austria
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, A-1030Vienna, Austria
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12
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Friederici AD, Wittig RM, Anwander A, Eichner C, Gräßle T, Jäger C, Kirilina E, Lipp I, Düx A, Edwards LJ, Girard-Buttoz C, Jauch A, Kopp KS, Paquette M, Pine KJ, Unwin S, Haun DBM, Leendertz FH, McElreath R, Morawski M, Gunz P, Weiskopf N, Crockford C. Brain structure and function: a multidisciplinary pipeline to study hominoid brain evolution. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 17:1299087. [PMID: 38260006 PMCID: PMC10800984 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1299087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
To decipher the evolution of the hominoid brain and its functions, it is essential to conduct comparative studies in primates, including our closest living relatives. However, strong ethical concerns preclude in vivo neuroimaging of great apes. We propose a responsible and multidisciplinary alternative approach that links behavior to brain anatomy in non-human primates from diverse ecological backgrounds. The brains of primates observed in the wild or in captivity are extracted and fixed shortly after natural death, and then studied using advanced MRI neuroimaging and histology to reveal macro- and microstructures. By linking detailed neuroanatomy with observed behavior within and across primate species, our approach provides new perspectives on brain evolution. Combined with endocranial brain imprints extracted from computed tomographic scans of the skulls these data provide a framework for decoding evolutionary changes in hominin fossils. This approach is poised to become a key resource for investigating the evolution and functional differentiation of hominoid brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela D. Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- Evolution of Brain Connectivity Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, France
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Alfred Anwander
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cornelius Eichner
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Gräßle
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Jäger
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Center of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ilona Lipp
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ariane Düx
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for One Health, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Luke J. Edwards
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cédric Girard-Buttoz
- Evolution of Brain Connectivity Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, France
| | - Anna Jauch
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kathrin S. Kopp
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Paquette
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kerrin J. Pine
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Steve Unwin
- School of Bioscience, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel B. M. Haun
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fabian H. Leendertz
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for One Health, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Richard McElreath
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Morawski
- Medical Faculty, Center of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Evolution of Brain Connectivity Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, France
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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13
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Bruner E. Cognitive archaeology, and the psychological assessment of extinct minds. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25583. [PMID: 38289186 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25583] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Evolutionary anthropology relies on both neontological and paleontological information. In the latter case, fields such as paleoneurology, neuroarchaeology, and cognitive archaeology are supplying new perspectives in prehistory and neuroscience. Cognitive archaeology, in particular, investigates the behaviors associated with extinct species or cultures according to specific psychological models. For example, changes in working memory, attention, or visuospatial integration can be postulated when related behavioral changes are described in the archaeological record. However, cognition is a process based on different and partially independent functional elements, and extinct species could hence have evolved distinct combinations of cognitive abilities or features, based on both quantitative and qualitative differences. Accordingly, differences in working memory can lead to more conceptual or more holistic mindsets, with important changes in the perception and management of the mental experience. The parietal cortex is particularly interesting, in this sense, being involved in functions associated with body-tool integration, attention, and visual imaging. In some cases, evolutionary mismatches among these elements can induce drawbacks that, despite their positive effects on natural selection, can introduce important constraints in our own mental skills. Beyond the theoretical background, some hypotheses can be tested following methods in experimental psychology. In any case, theories in cognitive evolution must acknowledge that, beyond the brain and its biology, the human mind is also deeply rooted in body perception, in social networks, and in technological extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
- Alzheimer's Centre Reina Sofia-CIEN Foundation-ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Blain R, Couly G, Shotar E, Blévinal J, Toupin M, Favre A, Abjaghou A, Inoue M, Hernández-Garzón E, Clarençon F, Chalmel F, Mazaud-Guittot S, Giacobini P, Gitton Y, Chédotal A. A tridimensional atlas of the developing human head. Cell 2023; 186:5910-5924.e17. [PMID: 38070509 PMCID: PMC10783631 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.013] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The evolution and development of the head have long captivated researchers due to the crucial role of the head as the gateway for sensory stimuli and the intricate structural complexity of the head. Although significant progress has been made in understanding head development in various vertebrate species, our knowledge of early human head ontogeny remains limited. Here, we used advanced whole-mount immunostaining and 3D imaging techniques to generate a comprehensive 3D cellular atlas of human head embryogenesis. We present detailed developmental series of diverse head tissues and cell types, including muscles, vasculature, cartilage, peripheral nerves, and exocrine glands. These datasets, accessible through a dedicated web interface, provide insights into human embryogenesis. We offer perspectives on the branching morphogenesis of human exocrine glands and unknown features of the development of neurovascular and skeletomuscular structures. These insights into human embryology have important implications for understanding craniofacial defects and neurological disorders and advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Blain
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Gérard Couly
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Eimad Shotar
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | | | - Maryne Toupin
- INSERM, EHESP, Univ Rennes, Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset), UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
| | - Anais Favre
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Ali Abjaghou
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Megumi Inoue
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | | | - Frédéric Clarençon
- Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- INSERM, EHESP, Univ Rennes, Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset), UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
| | - Séverine Mazaud-Guittot
- INSERM, EHESP, Univ Rennes, Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail (Irset), UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- University of Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Yorick Gitton
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France.
| | - Alain Chédotal
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Institut de pathologie, Groupe Hospitalier Est, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France; University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MeLiS, CNRS UMR 5284, INSERM U1314, 69008 Lyon, France.
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15
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Li D, Quan Z, Ni J, Li H, Qing H. The many faces of the zinc finger protein 335 in brain development and immune system. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115257. [PMID: 37541176 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Zinc finger protein 335 (ZNF335) plays a crucial role in the methylation and, consequently, regulates the expression of a specific set of genes. Variants of the ZNF335 gene have been identified as risk factors for microcephaly in a variety of populations worldwide. Meanwhile, ZNF335 has also been identified as an essential regulator of T-cell development. However, an in-depth understanding of the role of ZNF335 in brain development and T cell maturation is still lacking. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of ZNF335 in neuronal and T cell development across a wide range of pre-clinical, post-mortem, ex vivo, in vivo, and clinical studies. We also review the current limitations regarding the study of the pathophysiological functions of ZNF335. Finally, we hypothesize a potential role for ZNF335 in brain disorders and discuss the rationale of targeting ZNF335 as a therapeutic strategy for preventing brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Zhenzhen Quan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Junjun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Hui Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Hong Qing
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
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16
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Petersen BC. An economic model and evidence of the evolution of human intelligence in the Middle Pleistocene: Climate change and assortative mating. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287964. [PMID: 37531351 PMCID: PMC10395973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A main objective of this paper is to provide the first model of how climate change, working through sexual selection, could have led to dramatic increases in hominin brain size, and presumably intelligence, in the Middle Pleistocene. The model is built using core elements from the field of family economics, including assortative mating and specialization and complementarities between mates. The main assumptions are that family public goods (e.g., conversation, shelter, fire) were particularly cognitively intensive to produce and became increasingly important for child survival during glacial phases. Intermediate climates (e.g., not the depths of severe glacial phases) create the largest gains from specialization, encouraging negative assortative mating. In contrast, severe glacial phases encourage positive assortative mating because of the rising importance of family public goods. One testable hypothesis is that absence of severe glacial phases should have led to stasis in brain size. Two other testable hypotheses are that severe glacial phases should have led to speciation events, as well as increases in brain size. The evidence shows that there was a million-year stasis in cranial size prior to the start of the severe glacial phases. This stasis is broken by a speciation event (Homo heidelbergensis), with the oldest fossil evidence dated near the close of the first severe glacial phase. In the next 300 kyr, there are two additional severe glacial phases, accompanied by considerable increases in cranial capacity. The last speciation event is Homo sapiens, with the earliest fossils dated near the end of the last of these two glacial phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce C Petersen
- Department of Economics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
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17
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Benítez-Burraco A, Hoshi K, Progovac L. The gradual coevolution of syntactic combinatorics and categorization under the effects of human self-domestication: a proposal. Cogn Process 2023; 24:425-439. [PMID: 37306792 PMCID: PMC10359229 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-023-01140-6] [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: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The gradual emergence of syntax has been claimed to be engaged in a feedback loop with Human Self-Domestication (HSD), both processes resulting from, and contributing to, enhanced connectivity in selected cortico-striatal networks, which is the mechanism for attenuating reactive aggression, the hallmark of HSD, but also the mechanism of cross-modality, relevant for syntax. Here, we aim to bridge the gap between these brain changes and further changes facilitated by the gradual complexification of grammars. We propose that increased cross-modality would have enabled and supported, more specifically, a feedback loop between categorization abilities relevant for vocabulary building and the gradual emergence of syntactic structure, including Merge. In brief, an enhanced categorization ability not only brings about more distinct categories, but also a critical number of tokens in each category necessary for Merge to take off in a systematic and productive fashion; in turn, the benefits of expressive capabilities brought about by productive Merge encourage more items to be categorized, and more categories to be formed, thus further potentiating categorization abilities, and with it, syntax again. We support our hypothesis with evidence from the domains of language development and animal communication, but also from biology, neuroscience, paleoanthropology, and clinical linguistics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
| | - Koji Hoshi
- Faculty of Economics, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
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18
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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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19
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Benítez-Burraco A, Nikolsky A. The (Co)Evolution of Language and Music Under Human Self-Domestication. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2023; 34:229-275. [PMID: 37097428 PMCID: PMC10354115 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-023-09447-1] [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] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Together with language, music is perhaps the most distinctive behavioral trait of the human species. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain why only humans perform music and how this ability might have evolved in our species. In this paper, we advance a new model of music evolution that builds on the self-domestication view of human evolution, according to which the human phenotype is, at least in part, the outcome of a process similar to domestication in other mammals, triggered by the reduction in reactive aggression responses to environmental changes. We specifically argue that self-domestication can account for some of the cognitive changes, and particularly for the behaviors conducive to the complexification of music through a cultural mechanism. We hypothesize four stages in the evolution of music under self-domestication forces: (1) collective protomusic; (2) private, timbre-oriented music; (3) small-group, pitch-oriented music; and (4) collective, tonally organized music. This line of development encompasses the worldwide diversity of music types and genres and parallels what has been hypothesized for languages. Overall, music diversity might have emerged in a gradual fashion under the effects of the enhanced cultural niche construction as shaped by the progressive decrease in reactive (i.e., impulsive, triggered by fear or anger) aggression and the increase in proactive (i.e., premeditated, goal-directed) aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish Language, Linguistics and Literary Theory (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
- Departamento de Lengua Española, Facultad de Filología, Área de Lingüística General, Lingüística y Teoría de la Literatura, Universidad de Sevilla, C/ Palos de la Frontera s/n, Sevilla, 41007, España.
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20
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Moñivas JR. Biology, Culture and Environment: Methodological and Epistemological Principles for an Integrative Social Theory. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2023; 57:444-465. [PMID: 36653694 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-023-09751-6] [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] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
In this article I intend to argue that human beings have emerged from nature and remain rooted in it despite culture creating opportunities that go beyond the natural. For this reason, my interest is in showing that this cultural and psychological leap does not eliminate from human ontology the deeply rooted continuity with nature. Precisely because of this, social theory must be aware that with greater complexity, there is a need for the integration of more aetiological factors and a greater methodological and interdisciplinary breadth. Social theory cannot be constructed solely on the basis of empirical data from social analysis. The article is structured as follows: firstly, I discuss the historical origins of the emergence of the human self-perception of discontinuity. Secondly, I outline some of the ontological consequences of anthropological models based on discontinuity. Thirdly and fourthly, I outline what I consider to be the methodological and epistemological principles required for an integrative social theory. Finally, I attempt to establish an integrated typology that explains the complexity of human behaviour and identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Romero Moñivas
- Department of Applied Sociology, Faculty of Education, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
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21
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Tattersall I. Endocranial volumes and human evolution. F1000Res 2023; 12:565. [PMID: 37744765 PMCID: PMC10517302 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.131636.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Enlarging brains have been held up as the classic (if not the only) example of a consistent long-term trend in human evolution. And hominin endocranial volumes certainly expanded four-fold over the subfamily's seven-million-year history, while on a very coarse scale later hominids showed a strong tendency to have larger brains than earlier ones. However, closer scrutiny of this apparent trend reveals that it was extremely episodic and irregular, a fact that argues against the notion that it was driven by social interactions internal to the hominin clade. In addition, an overall tendency to brain volume increase was expressed independently and concurrently within at least three separate lineages of the genus Homo - suggesting that, whatever the exact influences were that promoted this global trend, they need to be sought among stimuli that acted comprehensively over the entire vast range of periods, geographies and environments that members of our subfamily occupied. Significantly, though, the dramatic recent shrinkage of the brain within the species Homo sapiens implies that the emergence of modern human cognition (via the adoption of the symbolic information processing mode, likely driven by the spontaneous invention of language in an exaptively enabled brain) was not the culmination of the overall hominin trend towards brain enlargement, but rather a departure from it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Tattersall
- Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10014, USA
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22
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Zeller E, Timmermann A, Yun KS, Raia P, Stein K, Ruan J. Human adaptation to diverse biomes over the past 3 million years. Science 2023; 380:604-608. [PMID: 37167387 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq1288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the role of vegetation and ecosystem diversity on hominin adaptation and migration, we identify past human habitat preferences over time using a transient 3-million-year earth system-biome model simulation and an extensive hominin fossil and archaeological database. Our analysis shows that early African hominins predominantly lived in open environments such as grassland and dry shrubland. Migrating into Eurasia, hominins adapted to a broader range of biomes over time. By linking the location and age of hominin sites with corresponding simulated regional biomes, we also find that our ancestors actively selected for spatially diverse environments. The quantitative results lead to a new diversity hypothesis: Homo species, in particular Homo sapiens, were specially equipped to adapt to landscape mosaics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Zeller
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Climate System, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Axel Timmermann
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sook Yun
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Pasquale Raia
- DiSTAR, Napoli Università di Napoli Federico II, Monte Sant'Angelo, Italy
| | - Karl Stein
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiaoyang Ruan
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
- Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
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23
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Zhang Y, Li Z. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric study of the Xuchang 2 cranium. J Hum Evol 2023; 178:103347. [PMID: 36966596 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Results of traditional metric and nonmetric assessments suggest that the Xuchang hominin shares features with Neanderthals. To comprehensively compare the nuchal morphology of XC 2 to those of the genus Homo, we conduct a three-dimensional geometric morphometric study with 35 cranial landmarks and surface semilandmarks of XC 2, Homo erectus, Middle Pleistocene humans, Neanderthals, and early and recent modern humans. Results reveal that the centroid size of XC 2 is larger than that of early and recent modern humans and can only be compared to that of Middle Pleistocene humans and H. erectus. Early and recent modern humans share a nuchal morphology distinct from archaic hominins (Ngandong H. erectus, Middle Pleistocene humans, and Neanderthals), except for SM 3, Sangiran 17, and Asian and African H. erectus. Although Ngandong specimens differ from the other H. erectus, it is unclear whether this represents a temporal or spatial trend in the process of evolution of this species. The nuchal morphological resemblance between Middle Pleistocene humans and Neanderthals may be attributed to similar cranial architecture and cerebellar shape. The great nuchal morphological variation shared by recent modern humans may indicate a particular developmental pattern. In conclusion, the nuchal morphology of different human groups is highly variable and may be caused by different factors including brain globularization and developmental plasticity. XC 2 shares similar nuchal morphology with Middle Pleistocene humans and Neanderthals, but these results are insufficient to fully resolve the taxonomic status of XC 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yameng Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Zhanyang Li
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Institute of Cultural Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China; Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, 450000, China.
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24
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Schwartz E, Nenning KH, Heuer K, Jeffery N, Bertrand OC, Toro R, Kasprian G, Prayer D, Langs G. Evolution of cortical geometry and its link to function, behaviour and ecology. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2252. [PMID: 37080952 PMCID: PMC10119184 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37574-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in comparative neuroanatomy and of the fossil record demonstrate the influence of socio-ecological niches on the morphology of the cerebral cortex, but have led to oftentimes conflicting theories about its evolution. Here, we study the relationship between the shape of the cerebral cortex and the topography of its function. We establish a joint geometric representation of the cerebral cortices of ninety species of extant Euarchontoglires, including commonly used experimental model organisms. We show that variability in surface geometry relates to species' ecology and behaviour, independent of overall brain size. Notably, ancestral shape reconstruction of the cortical surface and its change during evolution enables us to trace the evolutionary history of localised cortical expansions, modal segregation of brain function, and their association to behaviour and cognition. We find that individual cortical regions follow different sequences of area increase during evolutionary adaptations to dynamic socio-ecological niches. Anatomical correlates of this sequence of events are still observable in extant species, and relate to their current behaviour and ecology. We decompose the deep evolutionary history of the shape of the human cortical surface into spatially and temporally conscribed components with highly interpretable functional associations, highlighting the importance of considering the evolutionary history of cortical regions when studying their anatomy and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernst Schwartz
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Computational Imaging Research Lab, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl-Heinz Nenning
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Computational Imaging Research Lab, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Katja Heuer
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité de Neuroanatomie Appliquée et Théorique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Nathan Jeffery
- Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England
| | - Ornella C Bertrand
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Edifici ICTA-ICP, c/ Columnes s/n, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès., Barcelona, Spain
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH9 3FE, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Toro
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité de Neuroanatomie Appliquée et Théorique, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Computational Imaging Research Lab, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Computational Imaging Research Lab, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Langs
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Computational Imaging Research Lab, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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25
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Weber GW. Quantum Leaps in Human Biocultural Evolution and the Relationship to Cranial Capacity. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13041030. [PMID: 37109559 PMCID: PMC10145355 DOI: 10.3390/life13041030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the genus Homo can only be understood by considering both of the inheritance systems that interact to shape human nature: biology and culture. While growing intellectual abilities are a key factor of human evolution, they are rarely contrasted with cultural progress. Cranial capacity data of 193 hominin fossils from the last seven million years and artefacts of increasing number and complexity in the archaeological record are used to demonstrate the concordant progression of brain-size increase and cultural development, starting approximately two million years ago. Our biocultural evolution shows a number of quantum leaps along the time axis applying to both domains. At first, humans left the canonical evolutionary pathway, which pertains to all other organisms, by enhancing their fitness using sophisticated tools and fire; secondly, they turned into a symbolic species; and finally, humanity now faces a new challenge: "intentional evolution". Chronologically, these quantum leaps correspond to cranial capacity data used here as a proxy for cognitive performance. This contribution tries to demonstrate this parallel development and argues for a simple and generalized model of human biocultural evolution. An extrapolation of the model into the future shows that humans, as biological entities, will not necessarily persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard W Weber
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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26
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Scerri EML, Will M. The revolution that still isn't: The origins of behavioral complexity in Homo sapiens. J Hum Evol 2023; 179:103358. [PMID: 37058868 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103358] [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: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The behavioral origins of Homo sapiens can be traced back to the first material culture produced by our species in Africa, the Middle Stone Age (MSA). Beyond this broad consensus, the origins, patterns, and causes of behavioral complexity in modern humans remain debated. Here, we consider whether recent findings continue to support popular scenarios of: (1) a modern human 'package,' (2) a gradual and 'pan-African' emergence of behavioral complexity, and (3) a direct connection to changes in the human brain. Our geographically structured review shows that decades of scientific research have continuously failed to find a discrete threshold for a complete 'modernity package' and that the concept is theoretically obsolete. Instead of a continent-wide, gradual accumulation of complex material culture, the record exhibits a predominantly asynchronous presence and duration of many innovations across different regions of Africa. The emerging pattern of behavioral complexity from the MSA conforms to an intricate mosaic characterized by spatially discrete, temporally variable, and historically contingent trajectories. This archaeological record bears no direct relation to a simplistic shift in the human brain but rather reflects similar cognitive capacities that are variably manifested. The interaction of multiple causal factors constitutes the most parsimonious explanation driving the variable expression of complex behaviors, with demographic processes such as population structure, size, and connectivity playing a key role. While much emphasis has been given to innovation and variability in the MSA record, long periods of stasis and a lack of cumulative developments argue further against a strictly gradualistic nature in the record. Instead, we are confronted with humanity's deep, variegated roots in Africa, and a dynamic metapopulation that took many millennia to reach the critical mass capable of producing the ratchet effect commonly used to define contemporary human culture. Finally, we note a weakening link between 'modern' human biology and behavior from around 300 ka ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor M L Scerri
- Pan-African Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07749, Jena, Germany; Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta; Department of Prehistory, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Manuel Will
- Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Schloss Hohentübingen, Burgsteige 11, 72070, Tübingen, Germany
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27
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Townsend C, Ferraro JV, Habecker H, Flinn MV. Human cooperation and evolutionary transitions in individuality. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210414. [PMID: 36688393 PMCID: PMC9869453 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A major evolutionary transition in individuality involves the formation of a cooperative group and the transformation of that group into an evolutionary entity. Human cooperation shares principles with those of multicellular organisms that have undergone transitions in individuality: division of labour, communication, and fitness interdependence. After the split from the last common ancestor of hominoids, early hominins adapted to an increasingly terrestrial niche for several million years. We posit that new challenges in this niche set in motion a positive feedback loop in selection pressure for cooperation that ratcheted coevolutionary changes in sociality, communication, brains, cognition, kin relations and technology, eventually resulting in egalitarian societies with suppressed competition and rapid cumulative culture. The increasing pace of information innovation and transmission became a key aspect of the evolutionary niche that enabled humans to become formidable cooperators with explosive population growth, the ability to cooperate and compete in groups of millions, and emergent social norms, e.g. private property. Despite considerable fitness interdependence, the rise of private property, in concert with population explosion and socioeconomic inequality, subverts potential transition of human groups into evolutionary entities due to resurgence of latent competition and conflict. This article is part of the theme issue 'Human socio-cultural evolution in light of evolutionary transitions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathryn Townsend
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7334, USA
| | - Joseph V. Ferraro
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7334, USA
| | - Heather Habecker
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7334, USA
| | - Mark V. Flinn
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7334, USA
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28
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Pomeroy E. Review: The different adaptive trajectories in Neanderthals and Homo sapiens and their implications for contemporary human physiological variation. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 280:111420. [PMID: 37001690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Neanderthals are our one of our closest evolutionary cousins, but while they evolved in Eurasia, we (anatomically modern humans, AMH) originated in Africa. This contrasting evolutionary history has led to morphological and genetic distinctions between our species. Neanderthals are characterised by a relatively stocky build, high body mass, proportionally wide bodies and shorter limbs, a bell-shaped ribcage with a wide pelvis, and a long, low cranial vault compared with AMH. Classic readings of Neanderthal morphology link many of these traits to cold climate adaptations, however these interpretations have been questioned and alternative hypotheses including behavioural factors, dietary adaptations, locomotor specialisations, evolutionary history and neutral evolutionary processes have been invoked. Compared with AMH, Neanderthals may have been adapted for strength and power rather than endurance and may have consumed a diet high in animal products. However, reviewing these hypotheses highlights a number of limitations in our understanding of contemporary human physiology and metabolism, including the relationship between climate and morphology in AMH and Neanderthals, physiological limits on protein consumption, and the relationship between gut morphology and diet. As various relevant factors are clearly linked (e.g. diet, behaviour, metabolism, morphology, activity), ultimately a more integrated approach may be needed to fully understand Neanderthal biology. Variation among contemporary AMHs may offer, with caveats, a useful model for understanding the evolution of both Neanderthal and modern human characteristics, which in turn may further deepen our understanding of variability within and between contemporary humans. Neanderthals; Anatomically modern humans; morphology; climate adaptation; power adaptations; metabolism; diet; physiology; endurance running.
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29
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Richards GD, Jabbour RS, Guipert G, Defleur A. Endocranial anatomy of the Guercy 1 early Neanderthal from Baume Moula-Guercy (Soyons, Ardèche, France). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:564-593. [PMID: 36336759 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25118] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We provide the first comparative description of the endocranium of the Guercy 1 Early Neanderthal and examine its affinities to Preneanderthals, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens. The Guercy 1 cranium derives from deposits chronostratigraphically and biostratigraphically dated to the Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e). For comparative purposes, we compiled a sample of European and Southwest Asian subadult and adult Middle-to-Late Pleistocene hominins (≈MIS 12-MIS 1; N = 65). We sampled both a Preneanderthal-Neanderthal group and a Homo sapiens group. The Preneanderthal-Neanderthal group was further divided into three time-successive subgroups defined by associated MIS stages. Metric and morphological observations were made on original fossils and physical and virtual endocranial reconstructions. Guercy 1 and other Early Neanderthals, differ from Preneanderthals by increased development of the prefrontal cortex, precentral and postcentral gyri, inferior parietal lobule, and frontoparietal operculum. Early Neanderthal differ, in general, from Late Neanderthals by exhibiting less development in most of the latter brain structures. The late group additionally differentiates itself from the early group by a greater development of the rostral superior parietal lobule, angular gyrus, superior and middle temporal gyri, and caudal branches of the superior temporal gyrus. Endocranial morphology assessed along the Preneanderthal-Neanderthal sequence show that brain structures prominent in Preneanderthals are accentuated in Early-to-Late Neanderthals. However, both the Early and Late groups differentiate themselves by also showing regionally specific changes in brain development. This pattern of morphological change is consistent with a mosaic pattern of neural evolution in these Middle-to-Late Pleistocene hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary D Richards
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, A. A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rebecca S Jabbour
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's College of California, Moraga, California, USA
| | - Gaspard Guipert
- Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Fondation Albert Ier Prince de Monaco, Paris, France
| | - Alban Defleur
- CEPAM - UMR 7264 CNRS, Université de Nice, Nice Cedex 4, France
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30
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Ganapathee DS, Gunz P. Insights into brain evolution through the genotype-phenotype connection. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:73-92. [PMID: 36841571 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
It has recently become possible to start exploring how the genotype translates into human brain morphology and behavior by combining detailed genomic and phenotypic data from thousands of present-day people with archaic genomes of extinct humans, and gene expression data. As a starting point into this emerging interdisciplinary domain, we highlight current debates about which aspects of the modern human brain are unique. We review recent developments from (1) comparative primate neuroscience-a fast-growing field offering an invaluable framework for understanding general mechanisms and the evolution of human-specific traits. (2) paleoanthropology-based on evidence from endocranial imprints in fossil skulls, we trace the evolution from the ape-like brain phenotype of early hominins more than 3 million years ago to the unusual globular brain shape of present-day people. (3) Genomics of present-day and extinct humans. The morphological and genetic differences between modern humans and our closest extinct cousins, the Neandertals, offer important clues about the genetic underpinnings of brain morphology and behavior. The functional consequences of these genetic differences can be tested in animal models, and brain organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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31
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Castrellon JJ, Hakimi S, Parelman JM, Yin L, Law JR, Skene JAG, Ball DA, Malekpour A, Beskind DH, Vidmar N, Pearson JM, Skene JHP, Carter RM. Social cognitive processes explain bias in juror decisions. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:6764664. [PMID: 36264228 PMCID: PMC9949508 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac057] [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: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Jury decisions are among the most consequential social decisions in which bias plays a notable role. While courts take measures to reduce the influence of non-evidentiary factors, jurors may still incorporate biases into their decisions. One common bias, crime-type bias, is the extent to which the perceived strength of a prosecutor's case depends on the severity of the crime. Moral judgment, affect and social cognition have been proposed as core processes underlying this and other biases. Behavioral evidence alone has been insufficient to distinguish these explanations. To identify the mechanism underlying crime-type bias, we collected functional magnetic resonance imaging patterns of brain activation from mock jurors reading criminal scenarios. Brain patterns from crime-type bias were most similar to those associated with social cognition (mentalizing and racial bias) but not affect or moral judgment. Our results support a central role for social cognition in juror decisions and suggest that crime-type bias and cultural bias may arise from similar mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime J Castrellon
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Shabnam Hakimi
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0344, USA
| | - Jacob M Parelman
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0344, USA.,Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Lun Yin
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Jonathan R Law
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Jesse A G Skene
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - David A Ball
- Malekpour & Ball Consulting (JuryWatch, Inc.), Durham, North Carolina 27701, USA
| | - Artemis Malekpour
- Malekpour & Ball Consulting (JuryWatch, Inc.), Durham, North Carolina 27701, USA
| | - Donald H Beskind
- School of Law, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Neil Vidmar
- School of Law, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - John M Pearson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Departments of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - J H Pate Skene
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0344, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.,Initiative in Science and Society, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - R McKell Carter
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0344, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80302, USA.,Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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32
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Boeckx C. What made us "hunter-gatherers of words". Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1080861. [PMID: 36845441 PMCID: PMC9947416 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1080861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper makes three interconnected claims: (i) the "human condition" cannot be captured by evolutionary narratives that reduce it to a recent 'cognitive modernity', nor by narratives that eliminates all cognitive differences between us and out closest extinct relatives, (ii) signals from paleogenomics, especially coming from deserts of introgression but also from signatures of positive selection, point to the importance of mutations that impact neurodevelopment, plausibly leading to temperamental differences, which may impact cultural evolutionary trajectories in specific ways, and (iii) these trajectories are expected to affect the language phenotypes, modifying what is being learned and how it is put to use. In particular, I hypothesize that these different trajectories influence the development of symbolic systems, the flexible ways in which symbols combine, and the size and configurations of the communities in which these systems are put to use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Boeckx
- Section of General Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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33
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Psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of outdoor green and virtual green exercise during self-paced walking. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 184:39-50. [PMID: 36572348 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Physical activity in the presence of nature can lead to additional, more distinct mental health benefits such as lower stress and anxiety levels and an overall better psychological state when compared to indoor physical activity. Interestingly, the brain mechanisms underlying the effects of green exercise (GE) and virtual green exercise (VGE) on psychological responses are hitherto under-researched. The present study sought to deepen our understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying the effects of GE and VGE during self-paced walking. Thirty individuals took part in the present study. Two experimental (i.e., GE and VGE) and a control condition (CO) were administered in a randomized and counterbalanced order. Participants were asked to walk for ¼ mile at a pace of their choosing and self-report their psychological states at various timepoints during the exercise trials. Heart rate variability and the brain's electrical activity were monitored continuously throughout the experimental protocol. An accelerometer was used to identify the beginning and end of each step. The results indicate that both experimental manipulations were sufficient to influence the majority of psychological and psychophysiological parameters. The most pronounced effects were identified for GE when compared to CO and VGE. VGE was also sufficient to evoke positive emotions and partially reallocate attention externally, although such effects were less pronounced than those observed for GE. The brain mechanisms underlying the abovementioned psychophysiological responses may be associated with significant changes in theta activity throughout the cerebral cortex as well as increased connectivity in the frontal and parietal areas.
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34
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Examination of human osteoarchaeological remains as a feasible source of polar and apolar metabolites to study past conditions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:696. [PMID: 36639564 PMCID: PMC9839756 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27401-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolomics is a modern tool that aids in our understanding of the molecular changes in organisms. Archaeological science is a branch of archaeology that explores different archaeological materials using modern analytical tools. Human osteoarchaeological material are a frequent finding in archaeological contexts and have the potential to offer information about previous human populations, which can be illuminating about our current condition. Using a set of samples comprising different skeletal elements and bone structures, here we explore for the first time the possibility of extracting metabolites from osteoarchaeological material. Here, a protocol for extraction and measurement of extracted polar and less-polar/apolar metabolites by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to high resolution mass spectrometry is presented to measure the molecules separated after a reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography column. Molecular information was obtained, showing that osteoarchaeological material is a viable source of molecular information for metabolomic studies.
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35
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Homo sapiens and Neanderthals share high cerebral cortex integration into adulthood. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:42-50. [PMID: 36604552 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01933-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
There is controversy around the mechanisms that guided the change in brain shape during the evolution of modern humans. It has long been held that different cortical areas evolved independently from each other to develop their unique functional specializations. However, some recent studies suggest that high integration between different cortical areas could facilitate the emergence of equally extreme, highly specialized brain functions. Here, we analyse the evolution of brain shape in primates using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics of endocasts. We aim to determine, firstly, whether modern humans present unique developmental patterns of covariation between brain cortical areas; and secondly, whether hominins experienced unusually high rates of evolution in brain covariation as compared to other primates. On the basis of analyses including modern humans and other extant great apes at different developmental stages, we first demonstrate that, unlike our closest living relatives, Homo sapiens retain high levels of covariation between cortical areas into adulthood. Among the other great apes, high levels of covariation are only found in immature individuals. Secondly, at the macro-evolutionary level, our analysis of 400 endocasts, representing 148 extant primate species and 6 fossil hominins, shows that strong covariation between different areas of the brain in H. sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis evolved under distinctly higher evolutionary rates than in any other primate, suggesting that natural selection favoured a greatly integrated brain in both species. These results hold when extinct species are excluded and allometric effects are accounted for. Our findings demonstrate that high covariation in the brain may have played a critical role in the evolution of unique cognitive capacities and complex behaviours in both modern humans and Neanderthals.
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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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Bruner E, Battaglia-Mayer A, Caminiti R. The parietal lobe evolution and the emergence of material culture in the human genus. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:145-167. [PMID: 35451642 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02487-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Traditional and new disciplines converge in suggesting that the parietal lobe underwent a considerable expansion during human evolution. Through the study of endocasts and shape analysis, paleoneurology has shown an increased globularity of the braincase and bulging of the parietal region in modern humans, as compared to other human species, including Neandertals. Cortical complexity increased in both the superior and inferior parietal lobules. Emerging fields bridging archaeology and neuroscience supply further evidence of the involvement of the parietal cortex in human-specific behaviors related to visuospatial capacity, technological integration, self-awareness, numerosity, mathematical reasoning and language. Here, we complement these inferences on the parietal lobe evolution, with results from more classical neuroscience disciplines, such as behavioral neurophysiology, functional neuroimaging, and brain lesions; and apply these to define the neural substrates and the role of the parietal lobes in the emergence of functions at the core of material culture, such as tool-making, tool use and constructional abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Bruner
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain
| | | | - Roberto Caminiti
- Neuroscience and Behavior Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Roma, Italy.
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38
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Hublin JJ, Changeux JP. Paleoanthropology of cognition: an overview on Hominins brain evolution. C R Biol 2022; 345:57-75. [PMID: 36847465 DOI: 10.5802/crbiol.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in neurobiology, paleontology, and paleogenetics allow us to associate changes in brain size and organization with three main "moments" of increased behavioral complexity and, more speculatively, language development. First, Australopiths display a significant increase in brain size relative to the great apes and an incipient extension of postnatal brain development. However, their cortical organization remains essentially similar to that of apes. Second, over the last 2 My, with two notable exceptions, brain size increases dramatically, partly in relation to changes in body size. Differential enlargements and reorganizations of cortical areas lay the foundation for the "language-ready" brain and cumulative culture of later Homo species. Third, in Homo sapiens, brain size remains fairly stable over the last 300,000 years but an important cerebral reorganization takes place. It affects the frontal and temporal lobes, the parietal areas and the cerebellum and resulted in a more globular shape of the brain. These changes are associated, among others, with an increased development of long-distance-horizontal-connections. A few regulatory genetic events took place in the course of this hominization process with, in particular, enhanced neuronal proliferation and global brain connectivity.
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Massimo M, Long KR. Orchestrating human neocortex development across the scales; from micro to macro. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 130:24-36. [PMID: 34583893 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
How our brains have developed to perform the many complex functions that make us human has long remained a question of great interest. Over the last few decades, many scientists from a wide range of fields have tried to answer this question by aiming to uncover the mechanisms that regulate the development of the human neocortex. They have approached this on different scales, focusing microscopically on individual cells all the way up to macroscopically imaging entire brains within living patients. In this review we will summarise these key findings and how they fit together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Massimo
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine R Long
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
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40
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Zug R, Uller T. Evolution and dysfunction of human cognitive and social traits: A transcriptional regulation perspective. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2022; 4:e43. [PMID: 37588924 PMCID: PMC10426018 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2022.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary changes in brain and craniofacial development have endowed humans with unique cognitive and social skills, but also predisposed us to debilitating disorders in which these traits are disrupted. What are the developmental genetic underpinnings that connect the adaptive evolution of our cognition and sociality with the persistence of mental disorders with severe negative fitness effects? We argue that loss of function of genes involved in transcriptional regulation represents a crucial link between the evolution and dysfunction of human cognitive and social traits. The argument is based on the haploinsufficiency of many transcriptional regulator genes, which makes them particularly sensitive to loss-of-function mutations. We discuss how human brain and craniofacial traits evolved through partial loss of function (i.e. reduced expression) of these genes, a perspective compatible with the idea of human self-domestication. Moreover, we explain why selection against loss-of-function variants supports the view that mutation-selection-drift, rather than balancing selection, underlies the persistence of psychiatric disorders. Finally, we discuss testable predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Zug
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tobias Uller
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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41
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Levinson SC. The interaction engine: cuteness selection and the evolution of the interactional base for language. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210108. [PMID: 35876196 PMCID: PMC9310178 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep structural diversity of languages suggests that our language capacities are not based on any single template but rather on an underlying ability and motivation for infants to acquire a culturally transmitted system. The hypothesis is that this ability has an interactional base that has discernable precursors in other primates. In this paper, I explore a specific evolutionary route for the most puzzling aspect of this interactional base in humans, namely the development of an empathetic intentional stance. The route involves a generalization of mother-infant interaction patterns to all adults via a process (cuteness selection) analogous to, but distinct from, RA Fisher's runaway sexual selection. This provides a cornerstone for the carrying capacity for language. This article is part of the theme issue 'Revisiting the human 'interaction engine': comparative approaches to social action coordination'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C. Levinson
- Language and Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
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Kaczanowska J, Ganglberger F, Chernomor O, Kargl D, Galik B, Hess A, Moodley Y, von Haeseler A, Bühler K, Haubensak W. Molecular archaeology of human cognitive traits. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111287. [PMID: 36044840 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The brains and minds of our human ancestors remain inaccessible for experimental exploration. Therefore, we reconstructed human cognitive evolution by projecting nonsynonymous/synonymous rate ratios (ω values) in mammalian phylogeny onto the anatomically modern human (AMH) brain. This atlas retraces human neurogenetic selection and allows imputation of ancestral evolution in task-related functional networks (FNs). Adaptive evolution (high ω values) is associated with excitatory neurons and synaptic function. It shifted from FNs for motor control in anthropoid ancestry (60-41 mya) to attention in ancient hominoids (26-19 mya) and hominids (19-7.4 mya). Selection in FNs for language emerged with an early hominin ancestor (7.4-1.7 mya) and was later accompanied by adaptive evolution in FNs for strategic thinking during recent (0.8 mya-present) speciation of AMHs. This pattern mirrors increasingly complex cognitive demands and suggests that co-selection for language alongside strategic thinking may have separated AMHs from their archaic Denisovan and Neanderthal relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kaczanowska
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Olga Chernomor
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna (CIBIV), Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Dr. Bohr Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominic Kargl
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bence Galik
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Computing, Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Hess
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Fahrstrasse 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yoshan Moodley
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, Republic of South Africa
| | - Arndt von Haeseler
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna (CIBIV), Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Dr. Bohr Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 29, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Bühler
- VRVis Research Center, Donau-City Strasse 11, 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wulf Haubensak
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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43
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Endocranial ontogeny and evolution in early Homo sapiens: The evidence from Herto, Ethiopia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2123553119. [PMID: 35914174 PMCID: PMC9371682 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2123553119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fossils of early Homo sapiens from Herto, Ethiopia, show that populations living in Africa 160,000 years ago had already evolved brains broadly equivalent in size to those of humans living today. However, these early human braincases were shaped differently than ours, raising the question of whether the actual brains they housed were also structurally different. We used high-resolution computed tomography to perform accurate digital restorations of the fossil remains. These data allowed direct comparisons between endocranial shape development from childhood to adulthood in both fossil and living humans. Our results suggest that the peculiar shape of early Homo sapiens adult braincases was likely due to dietary and lifestyle differences rather than different brain anatomy. Fossils and artifacts from Herto, Ethiopia, include the most complete child and adult crania of early Homo sapiens. The endocranial cavities of the Herto individuals show that by 160,000 y ago, brain size, inferred from endocranial size, was similar to that seen in modern human populations. However, endocranial shape differed from ours. This gave rise to the hypothesis that the brain itself evolved substantially during the past ∼200,000 y, possibly in tandem with the transition from Middle to Upper Paleolithic techno-cultures. However, it remains unclear whether evolutionary changes in endocranial shape mostly reflect changes in brain morphology rather than changes related to interaction with maxillofacial morphology. To discriminate between these effects, we make use of the ontogenetic fact that brain growth nearly ceases by the time the first permanent molars fully erupt, but the face and cranial base continue to grow until adulthood. Here we use morphometric data derived from digitally restored immature and adult H. sapiens fossils from Herto, Qafzeh, and Skhul (HQS) to track endocranial development in early H. sapiens. Until the completion of brain growth, endocasts of HQS children were similar in shape to those of modern human children. The similarly shaped endocasts of fossil and modern children indicate that our brains did not evolve substantially over the past 200,000 y. Differences between the endocranial shapes of modern and fossil H. sapiens adults developed only with continuing facial and basicranial growth, possibly reflecting substantial differences in masticatory and/or respiratory function.
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44
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Asymmetry of Endocast Surface Shape in Modern Humans Based on Diffeomorphic Surface Matching. Symmetry (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sym14071459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain asymmetry is associated with handedness and cognitive function, and is also reflected in the shape of endocasts. However, comprehensive quantification of the asymmetry in endocast shapes is limited. Here, we quantify and visualize the variation of endocast asymmetry in modern humans using diffeomorphic surface matching. Our results show that two types of lobar fluctuating asymmetry contribute most to global asymmetry variation. A dominant pattern of local directional asymmetry is shared in the majority of the population: (1) the left occipital pole protrudes more than the right frontal pole in the left-occipital and right-frontal petalial asymmetry; (2) the left Broca’s cap appears to be more globular and bulges laterally, anteriorly, and ventrally compared to the right side; and (3) the asymmetrical pattern of the parietal is complex and the posterior part of the right temporal lobes are more bulbous than the contralateral sides. This study confirms the validity of endocasts for obtaining valuable information on encephalic asymmetries and reveals a more complicated pattern of asymmetry of the cerebral lobes than previously reported. The endocast asymmetry pattern revealed here provides more shape information to explore the relationships between brain structure and function, to re-define the uniqueness of human brains related to other primates, and to trace the timing of the human asymmetry pattern within hominin lineages.
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Federico G, Reynaud E, Navarro J, Lesourd M, Gaujoux V, Lamberton F, Ibarrola D, Cavaliere C, Alfano V, Aiello M, Salvatore M, Seguin P, Schnebelen D, Brandimonte MA, Rossetti Y, Osiurak F. The cortical thickness of the area PF of the left inferior parietal cortex mediates technical-reasoning skills. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11840. [PMID: 35821259 PMCID: PMC9276675 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15587-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Most recent research highlights how a specific form of causal understanding, namely technical reasoning, may support the increasing complexity of tools and techniques developed by humans over generations, i.e., the cumulative technological culture (CTC). Thus, investigating the neurocognitive foundations of technical reasoning is essential to comprehend the emergence of CTC in our lineage. Whereas functional neuroimaging evidence started to highlight the critical role of the area PF of the left inferior parietal cortex (IPC) in technical reasoning, no studies explored the links between the structural characteristics of such a brain region and technical reasoning skills. Therefore, in this study, we assessed participants’ technical-reasoning performance by using two ad-hoc psycho-technical tests; then, we extracted from participants’ 3 T T1-weighted magnetic-resonance brain images the cortical thickness (i.e., a volume-related measure which is associated with cognitive performance as reflecting the size, density, and arrangement of cells in a brain region) of all the IPC regions for both hemispheres. We found that the cortical thickness of the left area PF predicts participants’ technical-reasoning performance. Crucially, we reported no correlations between technical reasoning and the other IPC regions, possibly suggesting the specificity of the left area PF in generating technical knowledge. We discuss these findings from an evolutionary perspective, by speculating about how the evolution of parietal lobes may have supported the emergence of technical reasoning in our lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Federico
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy.
| | - Emanuelle Reynaud
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jordan Navarro
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Mathieu Lesourd
- Laboratoire de recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive (UR 481), Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.,MSHE Ledoux, CNRS, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Vivien Gaujoux
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Franck Lamberton
- CERMEP-Imagerie du vivant, MRI Department and CNRS UMS3453, Lyon, France
| | - Danièle Ibarrola
- CERMEP-Imagerie du vivant, MRI Department and CNRS UMS3453, Lyon, France
| | - Carlo Cavaliere
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Alfano
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Aiello
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Salvatore
- IRCCS Synlab SDN, Via Emanuele Gianturco, 113, 80143, Naples, Italy
| | - Perrine Seguin
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Computation, Cognition and Neurophysiology Team (Inserm UMR_S 1028-CNRS-UMR 5292-Université de Lyon), Bron, France
| | - Damien Schnebelen
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | - Yves Rossetti
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Trajectoires Team (Inserm UMR_S 1028-CNRS-UMR 5292-Université de Lyon), Bron, France.,Mouvement et Handicap and Neuro-Immersion, Hospices Civils de Lyon et Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Hôpital Henry Gabrielle, St Genis Laval, France
| | - François Osiurak
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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Meneganzin A, Pievani T, Manzi G. Pan-Africanism vs. single-origin of Homo sapiens: Putting the debate in the light of evolutionary biology. Evol Anthropol 2022; 31:199-212. [PMID: 35848454 PMCID: PMC9540121 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21955] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The scenario of Homo sapiens origin/s within Africa has become increasingly complex, with a pan-African perspective currently challenging the long-established single-origin hypothesis. In this paper, we review the lines of evidence employed in support of each model, highlighting inferential limitations and possible terminological misunderstandings. We argue that the metapopulation scenario envisaged by pan-African proponents well describes a mosaic diversification among late Middle Pleistocene groups. However, this does not rule out a major contribution that emerged from a single population where crucial derived features-notably, a globular braincase-appeared as the result of a punctuated, cladogenetic event. Thus, we suggest that a synthesis is possible and propose a scenario that, in our view, better reconciles with consolidated expectations in evolutionary theory. These indicate cladogenesis in allopatry as an ordinary pattern for the origin of a new species, particularly during phases of marked climatic and environmental instability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giorgio Manzi
- Department of Environmental BiologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
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47
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Henderson RD, Kepp KP, Eisen A. ALS/FTD: Evolution, Aging, and Cellular Metabolic Exhaustion. Front Neurol 2022; 13:890203. [PMID: 35711269 PMCID: PMC9196861 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.890203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD) are neurodegenerations with evolutionary underpinnings, expansive clinical presentations, and multiple genetic risk factors involving a complex network of pathways. This perspective considers the complex cellular pathology of aging motoneuronal and frontal/prefrontal cortical networks in the context of evolutionary, clinical, and biochemical features of the disease. We emphasize the importance of evolution in the development of the higher cortical function, within the influence of increasing lifespan. Particularly, the role of aging on the metabolic competence of delicately optimized neurons, age-related increased proteostatic costs, and specific genetic risk factors that gradually reduce the energy available for neuronal function leading to neuronal failure and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kasper Planeta Kepp
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andrew Eisen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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48
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Temporal mapping of derived high-frequency gene variants supports the mosaic nature of the evolution of Homo sapiens. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9937. [PMID: 35705575 PMCID: PMC9200848 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13589-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-scale estimations of the time of emergence of variants are essential to examine hypotheses concerning human evolution with precision. Using an open repository of genetic variant age estimations, we offer here a temporal evaluation of various evolutionarily relevant datasets, such as Homo sapiens-specific variants, high-frequency variants found in genetic windows under positive selection, introgressed variants from extinct human species, as well as putative regulatory variants specific to various brain regions. We find a recurrent bimodal distribution of high-frequency variants, but also evidence for specific enrichments of gene categories in distinct time windows, pointing to different periods of phenotypic changes, resulting in a mosaic. With a temporal classification of genetic mutations in hand, we then applied a machine learning tool to predict what genes have changed more in certain time windows, and which tissues these genes may have impacted more. Overall, we provide a fine-grained temporal mapping of derived variants in Homo sapiens that helps to illuminate the intricate evolutionary history of our species.
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49
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Andirkó A, Boeckx C. Brain region-specific effects of nearly fixed sapiens-derived alleles. BMC Genom Data 2022; 23:36. [PMID: 35546225 PMCID: PMC9097168 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-022-01048-8] [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: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of high-coverage genomes of our extinct relatives, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, and the emergence of large, tissue-specific databases of modern human genetic variation, offer the possibility of probing the effects of modern-derived alleles in specific tissues, such as the brain, and its specific regions. While previous research has explored the effects of introgressed variants in gene expression, the effects of Homo sapiens-specific gene expression variability are still understudied. Here we identify derived, Homo sapiens-specific high-frequency (≥90%) alleles that are associated with differential gene expression across 15 brain structures derived from the GTEx database. We show that regulation by these derived variants targets regions under positive selection more often than expected by chance, and that high-frequency derived alleles lie in functional categories related to transcriptional regulation. Our results highlight the role of these variants in gene regulation in specific regions like the cerebellum and pituitary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Andirkó
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Barcelona, Spain. .,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain.
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Naqvi S, Hoskens H, Wilke F, Weinberg SM, Shaffer JR, Walsh S, Shriver MD, Wysocka J, Claes P. Decoding the Human Face: Challenges and Progress in Understanding the Genetics of Craniofacial Morphology. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2022; 23:383-412. [PMID: 35483406 PMCID: PMC9482780 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-120121-102607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Variations in the form of the human face, which plays a role in our individual identities and societal interactions, have fascinated scientists and artists alike. Here, we review our current understanding of the genetics underlying variation in craniofacial morphology and disease-associated dysmorphology, synthesizing decades of progress on Mendelian syndromes in addition to more recent results from genome-wide association studies of human facial shape and disease risk. We also discuss the various approaches used to phenotype and quantify facial shape, which are of particular importance due to the complex, multipartite nature of the craniofacial form. We close by discussing how experimental studies have contributed and will further contribute to our understanding of human genetic variation and then proposing future directions and applications for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahin Naqvi
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA; , .,Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Hanne Hoskens
- Center for Processing Speech and Images, Department of Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; , .,Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Franziska Wilke
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; ,
| | - Seth M Weinberg
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; , .,Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John R Shaffer
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; , .,Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Susan Walsh
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; ,
| | - Mark D Shriver
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA;
| | - Joanna Wysocka
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA; , .,Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Peter Claes
- Center for Processing Speech and Images, Department of Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; , .,Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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