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Jacobs PJ, Oosthuizen MK. Laterality in the Damaraland Mole-Rat: Insights from a Eusocial Mammal. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040627. [PMID: 36830415 PMCID: PMC9951763 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040627] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lateralization is the functional control of certain behaviors in the brain being processed by either the left or right hemisphere. Behavioral asymmetries can occur at an individual and population level, although population-level lateralization is less common amongst solitary species, whereas social species can benefit more from aligning and coordinating their activities. We assessed laterality (individual and population) through turning biases in the eusocial Damaraland mole rat, Fukomys damarensis. We considered factors such as breeding status (queen or subordinate), environment (wild-caught or captive), sex (male or female), colony and body mass. All individuals together demonstrated significant left-turning biases, which was also significant at the population level. Wild-caught animals were more strongly lateralized, had a wider spread over a laterality index and lacked the population-level left-turning bias as compared to captive mole rats. Subordinate animals were more lateralized than queens, demonstrating social status differences in turning biases for social mole rats. This emphasizes the importance of animal handling and context when measuring and interpreting behavioral asymmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J. Jacobs
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- Correspondence:
| | - Maria K. Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
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2
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Cytoarchitecture, myeloarchitecture, and parcellation of the chimpanzee inferior parietal lobe. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:63-82. [PMID: 35676436 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02514-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The parietal lobe is a region of especially pronounced change in human brain evolution. Based on comparative neuroanatomical studies, the inferior parietal lobe (IPL) has been shown to be disproportionately larger in humans relative to chimpanzees and macaques. However, it remains unclear whether the underlying histological architecture of IPL cortical areas displays human-specific organization. Chimpanzees are among the closest living relatives of humans, making them an ideal comparative species to investigate potential evolutionary changes in the IPL. We parcellated the chimpanzee IPL using cytoarchitecture and myeloarchitecture, in combination with quantitative comparison of cellular features between the identified cortical areas. Four major areas on the lateral convexity of the chimpanzee IPL (PF, PFG, PG, OPT) and two opercular areas (PFOP, PGOP) were identified, similar to what has been observed in macaques. Analysis of the quantitative profiles of cytoarchitecture showed that cell profile density was significantly different in a combination of layers III, IV, and V between bordering cortical areas, and that the density profiles of these six areas supports their classification as distinct. The similarity to macaque IPL cytoarchitecture suggests that chimpanzees share homologous IPL areas. In comparison, human rostral IPL is reported to differ in its anatomical organization and to contain additional subdivisions, such as areas PFt and PFm. These changes in human brain evolution might have been important as tool making capacities became more complex.
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Hopkins WD, Westerhausen R, Schapiro S, Sherwood CC. Heritability in corpus callosum morphology and its association with tool use skill in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Reproducibility in two genetically isolated populations. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12784. [PMID: 35044083 PMCID: PMC8830772 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The corpus callosum (CC) is the major white matter tract connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres. It has been hypothesized that individual variation in CC morphology is negatively associated with forebrain volume (FBV) and this accounts for variation in behavioral and brain asymmetries as well as sex differences. To test this hypothesis, CC surface area and thickness as well as FBV was quantified in 221 chimpanzees with known pedigrees. CC surface area, thickness and FBV were significantly heritable and phenotypically associated with each other; however, no significant genetic association was found between FBV, CC surface area and thickness. The CC surface area and thickness measures were also found to be significantly heritable in both chimpanzee cohorts as were phenotypic associations with variation in asymmetries in tool use skill, suggesting that these findings are reproducible. Finally, significant phenotypic and genetic associations were found between hand use skill and region-specific variation in CC surface area and thickness. These findings suggest that common genes may underlie individual differences in chimpanzee tool use skill and interhemispheric connectivity as manifest by variation in surface area and thickness within the anterior region of the CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and ResearchUniversity of Texas M D Anderson Cancer CenterBastropTexasUSA
| | | | - Steve Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and ResearchUniversity of Texas M D Anderson Cancer CenterBastropTexasUSA
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
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Tamura M, Akomo-Okoue EF. Hand preference in unimanual and bimanual coordinated tasks in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) feeding on African ginger (Zingiberaceae). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:531-545. [PMID: 33429467 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bimanual coordinated behaviors are critical for detecting robust individual hand preference in nonhuman primates but are particularly challenging to observe in the wild. This study focuses on spontaneous feeding behavior on African ginger (Aframomum sp. and Renealmia sp.), which involves a unimanual task (reaching and pulling out a ginger stem) and a bimanual coordinated task (extracting pith from a ginger stem) by wild western lowland gorillas. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study subjects were 21 gorillas in the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. We examined whether they exhibit significant hand preference at the individual and group levels for both tasks. RESULTS Sixteen gorillas showed significant hand preference in the unimanual task, whereas all 21 individuals showed significant hand preference in the bimanual coordinated task. Hand preference was significantly stronger in the bimanual coordinated task than in the unimanual task. It is noteworthy that gorillas showed a significant right-hand preference at the group level for the bimanual task (roughly 70% of the subjects). DISCUSSION This study confirmed that bimanual coordinated tasks are more sensitive in detecting hand preferences in nonhuman primates. In addition to the bimanual nature of the task, the precision grip for processing and the importance of African ginger as a food resource might influence the expression of hand preference. Evidence of a group-level right-hand preference may support the "postural origins theory." Because all wild African great apes feed on the pith of African ginger, comparing this task and its hand preferences can contribute toward a better understanding of the evolution of handedness in Hominidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Tamura
- Laboratory of Human Evolution Studies, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Westerhausen R, Fjell AM, Kompus K, Schapiro SJ, Sherwood CC, Walhovd KB, Hopkins WD. Comparative morphology of the corpus callosum across the adult lifespan in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and humans. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:1584-1596. [PMID: 32978976 PMCID: PMC7987726 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The human corpus callosum exhibits substantial atrophy in old age, which is stronger than what would be predicted from parallel changes in overall brain anatomy. To date, however, it has not been conclusively established whether this accentuated decline represents a common feature of brain aging across species, or whether it is a specific characteristic of the aging human brain. In the present cross-sectional study, we address this question by comparing age-related difference in corpus callosum morphology of chimpanzees and humans. For this purpose, we measured total midsagittal area and regional thickness of the corpus callosum from T1-weighted MRI data from 213 chimpanzees, aged between 9 and 54 years. The results were compared with data drawn from a large-scale human sample which was age-range matched using two strategies: (a) matching by chronological age (human sample size: n = 562), or (b) matching by accounting for differences in longevity and various maturational events between the species (i.e., adjusted human age range: 13.6 to 80.9 years; n = 664). Using generalized additive modeling to fit and compare aging trajectories, we found significant differences between the two species. The chimpanzee aging trajectory compared with the human trajectory was characterized by a slower increase from adolescence to middle adulthood, and by a lack of substantial decline from middle to old adulthood, which, however, was present in humans. Thus, the accentuated decline of the corpus callosum found in aging humans is not a universal characteristic of the aging brain, and appears to be human-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Westerhausen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders M. Fjell
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
| | - Kristiina Kompus
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kristine B. Walhovd
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC), Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
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Poirier C, Hamed SB, Garcia-Saldivar P, Kwok SC, Meguerditchian A, Merchant H, Rogers J, Wells S, Fox AS. Beyond MRI: on the scientific value of combining non-human primate neuroimaging with metadata. Neuroimage 2021; 228:117679. [PMID: 33359343 PMCID: PMC7903159 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sharing and pooling large amounts of non-human primate neuroimaging data offer new exciting opportunities to understand the primate brain. The potential of big data in non-human primate neuroimaging could however be tremendously enhanced by combining such neuroimaging data with other types of information. Here we describe metadata that have been identified as particularly valuable by the non-human primate neuroimaging community, including behavioural, genetic, physiological and phylogenetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colline Poirier
- Biosciences Institute & Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle 6, UK.
| | - Suliann Ben Hamed
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, Université de Lyon - CNRS, France
| | - Pamela Garcia-Saldivar
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla. Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001 Querétaro, Qro. 76230 México
| | - Sze Chai Kwok
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China; NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR7290, Université Aix-Marseille/CNRS, Institut Language, Communication and the Brain 13331 Marseille, France
| | - Hugo Merchant
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus Juriquilla. Boulevard Juriquilla No. 3001 Querétaro, Qro. 76230 México
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Dept. of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA 77030
| | - Sara Wells
- Centre for Macaques, MRC Harwell Institute, Porton Down, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew S Fox
- California National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Laterality in the Cape mole-rat, Georychus capensis. Behav Processes 2021; 185:104346. [PMID: 33545320 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Behavioural lateralization, the differential use one side of the body, and/or the bilateral use of sensory organs or limbs, is common in many vertebrates. One way in which behavioural lateralization can be detected in animals is through turning biases, which is an inherent preference to either turn left or right. Mole-rats are a unique group of mammals that demonstrate a wide range of social organizations ranging from solitary to eusociality. Behavioural asymmetry has not previously been investigated in mole-rats. In this study, captive and wild solitary Cape-mole rats (Georychus capensis) were investigated for individual (relative laterality (LR)) and population-level (absolute laterality (LA)) laterality. Mole-rats in the captive group were in the laboratory for at least one year, whereas the wild group were captured and experimented on within 2 weeks of capture. Animals were placed in a Y-maze facing away from the centre of the maze, and the turn towards the centre of the maze was evaluated to determine individual turning biases. Lateralized individual turning biases were more apparent in wild (7/9), compared to captive (3/10) individuals. Both captive and wild populations demonstrated a left bias, which was higher in wild animals, but not significantly so. Cape mole-rats are extremely xenophobic and aggressive, and this aggressive behaviour may underlie the turning biases in these animals, as aggression is primarily a right hemisphere dominant process. The reduced lateralization observed in captive animals may be due to a reduced need for these behaviours as a result of different environments in captivity.
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8
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Osuna-Mascaró AJ, Ortiz C, Stolz C, Musgrave S, Sanz CM, Morgan DB, Fragaszy DM. Dexterity and technique in termite fishing by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo. Am J Primatol 2020; 83:e23215. [PMID: 33196112 PMCID: PMC7816224 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although the phenomenon of termite fishing by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) has historical and theoretical importance for primatology, we still have a limited understanding of how chimpanzees accomplish this activity, and in particular, about details of skilled actions and the nature of individual variation in fishing techniques. We examined movements, hand positions, grips, and other details from remote video footage of seven adult and subadult female chimpanzees using plant probes to extract Macrotermes muelleri termites from epigeal nests. Six chimpanzees used exclusively one hand (left or right) to grip the probe during termite fishing. All chimpanzees used the same repertoire of actions to insert, adjust, and withdraw the probe but differed in the frequency of use of particular actions. Chimpanzees have been described as eating termites in two ways—directly from the probe or by sweeping them from the probe with one hand. We describe a third technique: sliding the probe between the digits of one stationary hand as the probe is extracted from the nest. The sliding technique requires complementary bimanual coordination (extracting with one hand and grasping lightly with the other, at the same time). We highlight the importance of actions with two hands—one gripping, one assisting—in termite fishing and discuss how probing techniques are correlated with performance. Additional research on digital function and on environmental, organismic, and task constraints will further reveal manual dexterity in termite fishing. Using remote video footage from camera traps in Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo, we describe chimpanzees' manual actions, postures, and positions, and movements of the probe while they fished for termites in epigeal termite nests.
Chimpanzees used diverse grips, with and without the thumb, and two hands—one gripping, one assisting—to handle the probe delicately and to move it precisely.
We describe a new technique for recovering termites: sliding the probe between the digits of one stationary hand as the probe is extracted from the nest with the other hand, and a new action: oscillatory movements of the probe while it was inserted in the nest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Camila Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Caroline Stolz
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Stephanie Musgrave
- Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Crickette M Sanz
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.,Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - David B Morgan
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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9
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DeCasien AR, Higham JP. Relative Cerebellum Size Is Not Sexually Dimorphic across Primates. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2020; 95:93-101. [PMID: 32791505 DOI: 10.1159/000509070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Substantive sex differences in behavior and cognition are found in humans and other primates. However, potential sex differences in primate neuroanatomy remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigate sex differences in the relative size of the cerebellum, a region that has played a major role in primate brain evolution and that has been associated with cognitive abilities that may be subject to sexual selection in primates. METHODS We compiled individual volumetric and sex data from published data sources and used MCMC generalized linear mixed models to test for sex effects in relative cerebellar volume while controlling for phylogenetic relationships between species. Given that the cerebellum is a functionally heterogeneous structure involved in multiple complex cognitive processes that may be under selection in males or females within certain species, and that sexual selection pressures vary so greatly across primate species, we predicted there would be no sex difference in the relative size of the cerebellum across primates. RESULTS Our results support our prediction, suggesting there is no consistent sex difference in relative cerebellum size. CONCLUSION This work suggests that the potential for sex differences in relative cerebellum size has been subject to either developmental constraint or lack of consistent selection pressures, and highlights the need for more individual-level primate neuroanatomical data to facilitate intra- and inter-specific study of brain sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R DeCasien
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA, .,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA,
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
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10
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Yu G, Guo J, Xie W, Wang J, Wu Y, Zhang J, Xu J, Li J. Footedness predicts escape performance in a passerine bird. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4251-4260. [PMID: 32489594 PMCID: PMC7246196 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral lateralization, which is associated with the functional lateralization of the two brain hemispheres, commonly exists in animals and can provide an individual with benefits such as enhanced cognition and dual tasking. Lateral bias in limb use, as a type of behavioral lateralization, occur in many species, but the reasons for the coexistence of left- and right-biased individuals in a population remain poorly understood. We examined the footedness of male yellow-bellied tits (Pardaliparus venustulus) when they used feet to clamp mealworms against a perch, and tested its association with other fitness-related behavioral traits (i.e., feeding efficiency, exploration tendency, and escape performance). We expected differently footed individuals to have respective advantages in these behaviors and thereby coexist ("respective advantage" hypothesis). We found their footedness repeatable, and there was no population-level bias. While no associations of feeding efficiency and exploration tendency with footedness were detected, the right-footed individuals were found to be harder to catch than the other individuals. Future studies need to investigate the reasons for the right-footed individuals' superior escape performance. Moreover, the escape advantage for being right-footed and the lack of population-level bias in footedness in male yellow-bellied tits suggest that the benefits related to left footedness also remain to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyang Yu
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jinxin Guo
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Wenqian Xie
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yichen Wu
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jinggang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological EngineeringCollege of Life SciencesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jiliang Xu
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jianqiang Li
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
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11
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DeCasien AR, Sherwood CC, Schapiro SJ, Higham JP. Greater variability in chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes) brain structure among males. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192858. [PMID: 32315585 PMCID: PMC7211446 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, males tend to exhibit more behavioural and morphological variability than females, consistent with the 'greater male variability hypothesis'. This may reflect multiple mechanisms operating at different levels, including selective mechanisms that produce and maintain variation, extended male development, and X chromosome effects. Interestingly, human neuroanatomy shows greater male variability, but this pattern has not been demonstrated in any other species. To address this issue, we investigated sex-specific neuroanatomical variability in chimpanzees by examining relative and absolute surface areas of 23 cortical sulci across 226 individuals (135F/91M), using permutation tests of the male-to-female variance ratio of residuals from MCMC generalized linear mixed models controlling for relatedness. We used these models to estimate sulcal size heritability, simulations to assess the significance of heritability, and Pearson correlations to examine inter-sulcal correlations. Our results show that: (i) male brain structure is relatively more variable; (ii) sulcal surface areas are heritable and therefore potentially subject to selection; (iii) males exhibit lower heritability values, possibly reflecting longer development; and (iv) males exhibit stronger inter-sulcal correlations, providing indirect support for sex chromosome effects. These results provide evidence that greater male neuroanatomical variability extends beyond humans, and suggest both evolutionary and developmental explanations for this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex R. DeCasien
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, The University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
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12
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Hopkins WD, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Further evidence of a left hemisphere specialization and genetic basis for tool use skill in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Reproducibility in two genetically isolated populations of apes. J Comp Psychol 2019; 133:512-519. [PMID: 31246047 PMCID: PMC6813849 DOI: 10.1037/com0000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that the evolution of tool use may have served as a preadaptation for the emergence of left hemispheric specialization in motor skill in humans. Here, we tested for intermanual differences in performance on a tool use task in a sample of 206 captive chimpanzees in relation to their sex, age, and hand preference. In addition, we examined heritability in tool use skill for the entire sample, as well as within 2 genetically isolated populations of captive chimpanzees. This was done to determine the degree of reproducibility in heritability on motor performance. The results revealed a significant effect of hand preference on intermanual differences in performance. Right-handed chimpanzees performed the task more quickly with their right compared with left hand. In contrast, no significant intermanual differences in performance were found in left- and ambiguous-handed apes. Tool use performance was found to be significantly heritable for overall performance, as well as separately for the left and right hands. Further, significant heritability in tool use performance was found in both populations of apes, suggesting these results were reproducible. The results are discussed in the context of evolutionary theories of handedness and hemispheric specialization and the genetic mechanisms that underlie their expression in primates, including humans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas 78602
- Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, Iowa
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Comparative Medicine, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas 78602
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, National Center for Chimpanzee Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas 78602
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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13
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Handedness in monkeys reflects hemispheric specialization within the central sulcus. An in vivo MRI study in right- and left-handed olive baboons. Cortex 2019; 118:203-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Hopkins WD, Latzman RD, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ, Gómez-Robles A, Sherwood CC. Heritability of Gray Matter Structural Covariation and Tool Use Skills in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): A Source-Based Morphometry and Quantitative Genetic Analysis. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:3702-3711. [PMID: 30307488 PMCID: PMC6686745 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonhuman primates, and great apes in particular, possess a variety of cognitive abilities thought to underlie human brain and cognitive evolution, most notably, the manufacture and use of tools. In a relatively large sample (N = 226) of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) for whom pedigrees are well known, the overarching aim of the current study was to investigate the source of heritable variation in brain structure underlying tool use skills. Specifically, using source-based morphometry (SBM), a multivariate analysis of naturally occurring patterns of covariation in gray matter across the brain, we investigated (1) the genetic contributions to variation in SBM components, (2) sex and age effects for each component, and (3) phenotypic and genetic associations between SBM components and tool use skill. Results revealed important sex- and age-related differences across largely heritable SBM components and associations between structural covariation and tool use skill. Further, shared genetic mechanisms appear to account for a heritable link between variation in both the capacity to use tools and variation in morphology of the superior limb of the superior temporal sulcus and adjacent parietal cortex. Findings represent the first evidence of heritability of structural covariation in gray matter among nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert D Latzman
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Aida Gómez-Robles
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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15
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Motes-Rodrigo A, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Laska M. Preferential hand use by captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in manual and tool digging. Primates 2019; 60:367-373. [PMID: 31006044 PMCID: PMC6612319 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-019-00727-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Digging for underground storage organs of plants has been reported in various populations of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). However, it is unknown so far whether chimpanzees display lateral biases in manual digging as direct observations of this behavior are still lacking. It was therefore the aim of the present study to assess, for the first time, hand preferences for digging in a group of nine captive chimpanzees. We found that with only one exception, all individuals engaged in manual digging for buried food. Five individuals displayed a significant right-hand preference, two a significant left-hand preference, and one was ambidextrous. No apparent differences between males and females were found with regard to the direction or strength of hand preferences for manual digging. Only one out of four parent–offspring pairs was congruent in their preferred hand for manual digging. Three of the eight chimpanzees who dug manually also used tools in order to excavate buried food. Among those three individuals, one displayed a significant right-, one a significant left-hand preference, and one was ambidextrous. Only one of these three chimpanzees was consistent in preferring the same hand for manual and tool digging. The present findings are in line with the notion that chimpanzees display significant hand preferences at the individual level for haptic-guided behaviors, with a tendency for the right hand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Motes-Rodrigo
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - R Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Matthias Laska
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
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Prieur J, Lemasson A, Barbu S, Blois‐Heulin C. History, development and current advances concerning the evolutionary roots of human right‐handedness and language: Brain lateralisation and manual laterality in non‐human primates. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Prieur
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
| | - Stéphanie Barbu
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
| | - Catherine Blois‐Heulin
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
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17
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Prieur J, Pika S, Blois-Heulin C, Barbu S. Captive chimpanzees' manual laterality in tool use context: Influence of communication and of sociodemographic factors. Behav Processes 2018; 157:610-624. [PMID: 29665416 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding variations of apes' laterality between activities is a central issue when investigating the evolutionary origins of human hemispheric specialization of manual functions and language. We assessed laterality of 39 chimpanzees in a non-communication action similar to termite fishing that we compared with data on five frequent conspecific-directed gestures involving a tool previously exploited in the same subjects. We evaluated, first, population-level manual laterality for tool-use in non-communication actions; second, the influence of sociodemographic factors (age, sex, group, and hierarchy) on manual laterality in both non-communication actions and gestures. No significant right-hand bias at the population level was found for non-communication tool use, contrary to our previous findings for gestures involving a tool. A multifactorial analysis revealed that hierarchy and age particularly modulated manual laterality. Dominants and immatures were more right-handed when using a tool in gestures than in non-communication actions. On the contrary, subordinates, adolescents, young and mature adults as well as males were more right-handed when using a tool in non-communication actions than in gestures. Our findings support the hypothesis that some primate species may have a specific left-hemisphere processing gestures distinct from the cerebral system processing non-communication manual actions and to partly support the tool use hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Prieur
- Ethos "Ethologie Animale et Humaine'', Université de Rennes 1 - CNRS UMR 6552, Station Biologique de Paimpont, France.
| | - Simone Pika
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, "Virtual Geesehouse", Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Catherine Blois-Heulin
- Ethos "Ethologie Animale et Humaine'', Université de Rennes 1 - CNRS UMR 6552, Station Biologique de Paimpont, France
| | - Stéphanie Barbu
- Ethos "Ethologie Animale et Humaine'', Université de Rennes 1 - CNRS UMR 6552, Station Biologique de Paimpont, France
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Manns M, Ströckens F, Stavenhagen P, Ocklenburg S. Paw preferences in the Asian small-clawed otter - using an inexpensive, video-based protocol to study laterality of rare species in the zoo. Laterality 2018; 23:722-737. [PMID: 29580172 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2018.1457047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
It is still debated whether limb-use preferences represent a common trait in vertebrates, which is based on a shared phylogenetic history. Unravelling the evolutionary origin and pattern of paw preferences in vertebrates requires the analysis of a larger number of species within an ecologically relevant setting. We therefore investigated whether observations in a zoo enable the collection of reliable data sets by quantifying paw use in two independent groups of Asian small-clawed otters (Amblonyx cinerea). Employing a continuous focal animal sampling method, each day one of the ten individuals was video recorded from outside of the enclosure during usual activity. We selected four types of unimanual behaviour (reaching for food, reaching for non-food, reaching into a hole, carrying an object) and quantified paw use for each animal. Our study provides first evidences for individual paw preferences in otters, which were in line with previously reported forelimb use pattern in carnivoran species. Preferences differed between motor acts but for "reaching into a hole" a population-level right paw bias was detected. These data support that observations in a zoological setting are useful to explore task-dependent paw preferences and may facilitate future studies investigating paw preferences under experimentally controlled conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Manns
- a Department of Psychology , Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr-University of Bochum , Bochum , Germany
| | - Felix Ströckens
- a Department of Psychology , Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr-University of Bochum , Bochum , Germany
| | - Philipp Stavenhagen
- b Department of Psychology , Psychological Methodology and Evaluation, University of Hagen , Hagen , Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- a Department of Psychology , Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr-University of Bochum , Bochum , Germany
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Hopkins WD. A review of performance asymmetries in hand skill in nonhuman primates with a special emphasis on chimpanzees. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:57-89. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Hopkins WD, Meguerditchian A, Coulon O, Misiura M, Pope S, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Motor skill for tool-use is associated with asymmetries in Broca's area and the motor hand area of the precentral gyrus in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Behav Brain Res 2017; 318:71-81. [PMID: 27816558 PMCID: PMC5459306 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Among nonhuman primates, chimpanzees are well known for their sophistication and diversity of tool use in both captivity and the wild. The evolution of tool manufacture and use has been proposed as a driving mechanism for the development of increasing brain size, complex cognition and motor skills, as well as the population-level handedness observed in modern humans. Notwithstanding, our understanding of the neurological correlates of tool use in chimpanzees and other primates remains poorly understood. Here, we assessed the hand preference and performance skill of chimpanzees on a tool use task and correlated these data with measures of neuroanatomical asymmetries in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the pli-de-passage fronto-parietal moyen (PPFM). The IFG is the homolog to Broca's area in the chimpanzee brain and the PPFM is a buried gyrus that connects the pre- and post-central gyri and corresponds to the motor-hand area of the precentral gyrus. We found that chimpanzees that performed the task better with their right compared to left hand showed greater leftward asymmetries in the IFG and PPFM. This association between hand performance and PPFM asymmetry was particularly robust for right-handed individuals. Based on these findings, we propose that the evolution of tool use was associated with increased left hemisphere specialization for motor skill. We further suggest that lateralization in motor planning, rather than hand preference per se, was selected for with increasing tool manufacture and use in Hominid evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, United States; Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30029, United States.
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, UMR 7290, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Coulon
- Aix-Marseille Université, LSIS, UMR CNRS 7296, Marseille, France
| | - Maria Misiura
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, United States
| | - Sarah Pope
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, United States
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, United States
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, United States
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21
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Neocortical grey matter distribution underlying voluntary, flexible vocalizations in chimpanzees. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34733. [PMID: 27703216 PMCID: PMC5050423 DOI: 10.1038/srep34733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal learning is a key property of spoken language, which might also be present in nonhuman primate species, such as chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), to a limited degree. While understanding the origins of vocal learning in the primate brain may help shed light on the evolution of speech and language, little is still known regarding the neurobiological correlates of vocal flexibility in nonhuman primates. The current study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to assess whether the cerebral cortex of captive chimpanzees that learned to voluntarily produce sounds to attract the attention of a human experimenter (attention-getting sounds) differs in grey matter distribution compared to chimpanzees that do not exhibit this behavior. It was found that chimpanzees that produce attention-getting sounds were characterized by increased grey matter in the ventrolateral prefrontal and dorsal premotor cortices. These findings suggest that the evolution of the capacity to flexibly modulate vocal output may be associated with reorganization of regions for motor control, including orofacial movements, in the primate brain.
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22
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Sanz CM, Morgan DB, Hopkins WD. Lateralization and performance asymmetries in the termite fishing of wild chimpanzees in the goualougo triangle, republic of Congo. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:1190-1200. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Crickette M. Sanz
- Department of Anthropology; Washington University in Saint Louis; Saint Louis Missouri
- Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society; Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - David B. Morgan
- Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society; Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes; Lincoln Park Zoo; Chicago Illinois
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center; Georgia State University; Atlanta Georgia
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Atlanta Georgia
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23
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Hopkins WD, Reamer L, Mareno MC, Schapiro SJ. Genetic basis in motor skill and hand preference for tool use in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20141223. [PMID: 25520351 PMCID: PMC4298198 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees are well known for their tool using abilities. Numerous studies have documented variability in tool use among chimpanzees and the role that social learning and other factors play in their development. There are also findings on hand use in both captive and wild chimpanzees; however, less understood are the potential roles of genetic and non-genetic mechanisms in determining individual differences in tool use skill and laterality. Here, we examined heritability in tool use skill and handedness for a probing task in a sample of 243 captive chimpanzees. Quantitative genetic analysis, based on the extant pedigrees, showed that overall both tool use skill and handedness were significantly heritable. Significant heritability in motor skill was evident in two genetically distinct populations of apes, and between two cohorts that received different early social rearing experiences. We further found that motor skill decreased with age and that males were more commonly left-handed than females. Collectively, these data suggest that though non-genetic factors do influence tool use performance and handedness in chimpanzees, genetic factors also play a significant role, as has been reported in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and the Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lisa Reamer
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Mary Catherine Mareno
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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24
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Kendal R, Hopper LM, Whiten A, Brosnan SF, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ, Hoppitt W. Chimpanzees copy dominant and knowledgeable individuals: implications for cultural diversity. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2015; 36:65-72. [PMID: 27053916 PMCID: PMC4820294 DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary theory predicts that natural selection will fashion cognitive biases to guide when, and from whom, individuals acquire social information, but the precise nature of these biases, especially in ecologically valid group contexts, remains unknown. We exposed four captive groups of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to a novel extractive foraging device and, by fitting statistical models, isolated four simultaneously operating transmission biases. These include biases to copy (i) higher-ranking and (ii) expert individuals, and to copy others when (iii) uncertain or (iv) of low rank. High-ranking individuals were relatively un-strategic in their use of acquired knowledge, which, combined with the bias for others to observe them, may explain reports that high innovation rates (in juveniles and subordinates) do not generate a correspondingly high frequency of traditions in chimpanzees. Given the typically low rank of immigrants in chimpanzees, a 'copying dominants' bias may contribute to the observed maintenance of distinct cultural repertoires in neighboring communities despite sharing similar ecology and knowledgeable migrants. Thus, a copying dominants strategy may, as often proposed for conformist transmission, and perhaps in concert with it, restrict the accumulation of traditions within chimpanzee communities whilst maintaining cultural diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Kendal
- Centre for the Coevolution of Biology and Culture, Anthropology Department, Durham University, UK
| | - Lydia M. Hopper
- Centre for the Coevolution of Biology and Culture, Anthropology Department, Durham University, UK
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, UK
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study & Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, USA
| | - Andrew Whiten
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, UK
| | - Sarah F. Brosnan
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
- Language Research Center, GA State University, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Institute, GA State University, USA
| | - Susan P. Lambeth
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Will Hoppitt
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
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25
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Connor-Stroud FR, Hopkins WD, Preuss TM, Johnson Z, Zhang X, Sharma P. Extensive vascular mineralization in the brain of a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Comp Med 2014; 64:224-229. [PMID: 24956215 PMCID: PMC4067587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2013] [Revised: 04/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/02/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous vascular mineralization (deposition of iron or calcium salts) has been observed in marble brain syndrome, mineralizing microangiopathy, hypothyroidism, Fahr syndrome, Sturge-Weber syndrome, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, and calciphylaxis in humans and as an aging or idiopathic lesion in the brains of horses, cats, nonhuman primates, mice, rats, cattle, white-tailed deer, and dogs. Here we present a 27-y-old, adult male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) with spontaneous, extensive vascular mineralization localized solely to the brain. The chimpanzee exhibited tremors and weakness of the limbs, which progressed to paralysis before euthanasia. Magnetic resonance brain imaging in 2002 and 2010 (immediately before euthanasia) revealed multiple hypointense foci, suggestive of iron- and calcium-rich deposits. At necropsy, the brain parenchyma had occasional petechial hemorrhage, and microscopically, the cerebral, cerebellar and brain stem, gray and white matter had moderate to severe mural aggregates of a granular, basophilic material (mineral) in the blood vessels. In addition, these regions often had moderate to severe medial to transmural deposition of mature collagen in the blood vessels. We ruled out common causes of brain mineralization in humans and animals, but an etiology for the mineralization could not be determined. To our knowledge, mineralization in brain has been reported only once to occur in a chimpanzee, but its chronicity in our case makes it particularly interesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fawn R Connor-Stroud
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - William D Hopkins
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Todd M Preuss
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zachary Johnson
- Division of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Prachi Sharma
- Division of Pathology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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26
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Tabiowo E, Forrester GS. Structured bimanual actions and hand transfers reveal population-level right-handedness in captive gorillas. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Hopkins WD. Comparing human and nonhuman primate handedness: challenges and a modest proposal for consensus. Dev Psychobiol 2013; 55:621-36. [PMID: 23913784 PMCID: PMC4041077 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In the past 20-25 years, there have been a number of studies published on handedness in nonhuman primates. The goal of these studies has been to evaluate whether monkeys and apes show patterns of hand preference that resemble the right-handedness found in the human species. The extant findings on handedness in nonhuman primates have revealed inconsistent evidence for population-level handedness within and between species. In this article, I discuss some of the methodological and statistical challenges to comparative studies of handedness in human and nonhuman primates. I further offer a framework for developing some consensus on evaluating the validity of different handedness measures and the characterization of individual hand preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5030, USA.
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28
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Phillips KA, Schaeffer J, Barrett E, Hopkins WD. Performance asymmetries in tool use are associated with corpus callosum integrity in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): a diffusion tensor imaging study. Behav Neurosci 2013; 127:106-13. [PMID: 23398443 DOI: 10.1037/a0031089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The authors examined the relationship of corpus callosum (CC) morphology and organization to hand preference and performance on a motor skill task in chimpanzees. Handedness was assessed using a complex tool use task that simulated termite fishing. Chimpanzees were initially allowed to perform the task wherein they could choose which hand to use (preference measure), then they were required to complete trials using each hand (performance measure). Two measures were used to assess the CC: midsagittal area obtained from in vivo magnetic resonance images and density of transcallosal connections as determined by fractional anisotropy values obtained from diffusion tensor imaging. The authors hypothesized that chimpanzees would perform better on their preferred hand compared to the nonpreferred hand, and that strength of behavioral lateralization (rather the direction) on this task would be negatively correlated to regions of the CC involved in motor processing. Results indicate that the preferred hand was the most adept hand. Performance asymmetries correlated with fractional anisotropy measures but not area measures of the CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Trinity University, 1 Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA.
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29
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Phillips KA, Thompson CR. Hand preference for tool-use in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) is associated with asymmetry of the primary motor cortex. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:435-40. [PMID: 22987442 PMCID: PMC3527644 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 08/07/2012] [Accepted: 08/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Skilled motor actions are associated with handedness and neuroanatomical specializations in humans. Recent reports have documented similar neuroanatomical asymmetries and their relationship to hand preference in some nonhuman primate species, including chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys. We investigated whether capuchins displayed significant hand preferences for a tool-use task and whether such preferences were associated with motor-processing regions of the brain. Handedness data on a dipping tool-use task and high-resolution 3T MRI scans were collected from 15 monkeys. Capuchins displayed a significant group-level left-hand preference for this type of tool use, and handedness was associated with asymmetry of the primary motor cortex. Left-hand preferent individuals displayed a deeper central sulcus in the right hemisphere. Our results suggest that capuchins show an underlying right-hemisphere bias for skilled movement.
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Gilissen EP, Hopkins WD. Asymmetries of the parietal operculum in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in relation to handedness for tool use. Cereb Cortex 2013; 23:411-22. [PMID: 22368087 PMCID: PMC3539455 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A left larger than right planum temporale (PT) is a neuroanatomical asymmetry common to both humans and chimpanzees. A similar asymmetry was observed in the human parietal operculum (PO), and the convergence of PT and PO asymmetries is strongly associated with right-handedness. Here, we assessed whether this combination also exists in common chimpanzees. Magnetic resonance scans were obtained in 83 captive subjects. PT was quantified following procedures previously employed and PO was defined as the maximal linear distance between the end point of the sylvian fissure and the central sulcus. Handedness was assessed using 2 tasks that were designed to simulate termite fishing of wild chimpanzees and to elicit bimanual coordination without tool use. Chimpanzees showed population-level leftward asymmetries for both PT and PO. As in humans, these leftward asymmetries were not correlated. Handedness for tool use but not for nontool use motor actions mediated the expression of asymmetries in PT and PO, with right-handed apes showing more pronounced leftward asymmetries. Consistent PT and PO asymmetry combinations were observed in chimpanzees. The proportions of individuals showing these combinations were comparable in humans and chimpanzees; however, interaction between handedness and patterns of combined PO and PT asymmetries differed between the 2 species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel P Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium.
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Hopkins WD, Gardner M, Mingle M, Reamer L, Schapiro SJ. Within- and between-task consistency in hand use as a means of characterizing hand preferences in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 127:380-91. [PMID: 23356440 DOI: 10.1037/a0031071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
There remain considerable questions regarding the evidence for population-level handedness in nonhuman primates when compared with humans. One challenge in comparing human and nonhuman primate handedness involves the procedures used to characterize individual handedness. Studies of human handedness use consistency in hand use within and between tasks as a basis for hand preference classification. In contrast, studies of handedness in nonhuman primates use statistical criteria for classifying handedness. In this study, we examined within- and between-task consistency in hand use as a means of characterizing individual handedness in a sample of 300 captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Chimpanzees showed population-level right-handedness for both within- and between-tasks consistency, though the proportion of right-handed chimpanzees was lower than what has typically been reported for humans. We further found that there were small, but significant, associations in hand use between measures. There were no significant sex or colony effects on the distribution of handedness. The results are discussed in the context of theories on the evolution of handedness in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
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Bogart SL, Pruetz JD, Ormiston LK, Russell JL, Meguerditchian A, Hopkins WD. Termite fishing laterality in the Fongoli savanna chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus): further evidence of a left hand preference. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 149:591-8. [PMID: 23129227 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Accepted: 09/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Whether nonhuman primates show population-level handedness is a topic of much scientific debate. A previous study of handedness for termite fishing reported population-level left handedness in the chimpanzees from Gombe National Park, Tanzania. In the current study, we examined whether similar hand preferences were evident in a savanna-dwelling chimpanzee population with regards to termite fishing. Hand preference data were collected for 27 chimpanzees from February 2007 through July 2008 and November 2011 through January 2012 in southeastern Senegal. Overall, the Fongoli chimpanzees demonstrate a trend toward population-level handedness, though the results did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance likely due to the limited sample size. Fongoli chimpanzees showed the same pattern of left hand preference as reported at Gombe and the two populations did not differ significantly. When the data were combined across all studies, wild chimpanzees showed a population-level left hand preference for termite fishing.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Bogart
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Zhao D, Hopkins WD, Li B. Handedness in nature: first evidence on manual laterality on bimanual coordinated tube task in wild primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 148:36-44. [PMID: 22410843 PMCID: PMC3342595 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 01/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Handedness is a defining feature of human manual skill and understanding the origin of manual specialization remains a central topic of inquiry in anthropology and other sciences. In this study, we examined hand preference in a sample of wild primates on a task that requires bimanual coordinated actions (tube task) that has been widely used in captive primates. The Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is an arboreal Old World monkey species that is endemic to China, and 24 adult individuals from the Qinling Mountains of China were included for the analysis of hand preference in the tube task. All subjects showed strong individual hand preferences and significant group-level left-handedness was found. There were no significant differences between males and females for either direction or strength of hand preference. Strength of hand preferences of adults was significantly greater than juveniles. Use of the index finger to extract the food was the dominant extractive-act. Our findings represent the first evidence of population-level left-handedness in wild Old World monkeys and broaden our knowledge on evaluating primate hand preference via experimental manipulation in natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dapeng Zhao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cyto-Genetical and Molecular Regulation, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Psychology, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA 30030, USA
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Baoguo Li
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
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Hopkins WD, Russell JL, Schaeffer JA. The neural and cognitive correlates of aimed throwing in chimpanzees: a magnetic resonance image and behavioural study on a unique form of social tool use. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2012; 367:37-47. [PMID: 22106425 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that neurological adaptations associated with evolutionary selection for throwing may have served as a precursor for the emergence of language and speech in early hominins. Although there are reports of individual differences in aimed throwing in wild and captive apes, to date there has not been a single study that has examined the potential neuroanatomical correlates of this very unique tool-use behaviour in non-human primates. In this study, we examined whether differences in the ratio of white (WM) to grey matter (GM) were evident in the homologue to Broca's area as well as the motor-hand area of the precentral gyrus (termed the KNOB) in chimpanzees that reliably throw compared with those that do not. We found that the proportion of WM in Broca's homologue and the KNOB was significantly higher in subjects that reliably throw compared with those that do not. We further found that asymmetries in WM within both brain regions were larger in the hemisphere contralateral to the chimpanzee's preferred throwing hand. We also found that chimpanzees that reliably throw show significantly better communication abilities than chimpanzees that do not. These results suggest that chimpanzees that have learned to throw have developed greater cortical connectivity between primary motor cortex and the Broca's area homologue. It is suggested that during hominin evolution, after the split between the lines leading to chimpanzees and humans, there was intense selection on increased motor skills associated with throwing and that this potentially formed the foundation for left hemisphere specialization associated with language and speech found in modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030, USA.
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Hopkins WD, Phillips KA, Bania A, Calcutt SE, Gardner M, Russell J, Schaeffer J, Lonsdorf EV, Ross SR, Schapiro SJ. Hand preferences for coordinated bimanual actions in 777 great apes: implications for the evolution of handedness in hominins. J Hum Evol 2011; 60:605-11. [PMID: 21334723 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2010] [Revised: 12/08/2010] [Accepted: 12/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Whether or not nonhuman primates exhibit population-level handedness remains a topic of considerable scientific debate. Here, we examined handedness for coordinated bimanual actions in a sample of 777 great apes including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans. We found population-level right-handedness in chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas, but left-handedness in orangutans. Directional biases in handedness were consistent across independent samples of apes within each genus. We suggest that, contrary to previous claims, population-level handedness is evident in great apes but differs among species as a result of ecological adaptations associated with posture and locomotion. We further suggest that historical views of nonhuman primate handedness have been too anthropocentric, and we advocate for a larger evolutionary framework for the consideration of handedness and other aspects of hemispheric specialization among primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Hopkins
- Department of Psychology, Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030, USA.
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Wallauer W, Arcadi A. Individual-level lateralization in the asymmetrical gaits of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): implications for hand preference and skeletal asymmetry? BEHAVIOUR 2011. [DOI: 10.1163/156853911x616062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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