Article
Biology
Susanne Shultz, Robin I. M. Dunbar
Summary: Through principal component analyses and meta-analyses, it was found that primate social, ecological, and reproductive behaviors can be condensed into two components: socioecological complexity and reproductive cooperation. Studies consistently show that cognition, sociality, and cooperative behaviors are associated with absolute brain volume, neocortex size, and neocortex ratio, while diet composition and life history are consistently associated with relative brain size.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Franco Giarrocco, Bruno B. Averbeck
Summary: This article integrates four previously proposed principles to explain the complex connectivity in the primate forebrain. Studies in evolution and development can account for these principles.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiao-Lin Zhuang, Jin-Jin Zhang, Yong Shao, Yaxin Ye, Chun-Yan Chen, Long Zhou, Zheng-bo Wang, Xin Luo, Bing Su, Yong-Gang Yao, David N. Cooper, Ben-Xia Hu, Lu Wang, Xiao-Guang Qi, Jiangwei Lin, Guo-Jie Zhang, Wen Wang, Nengyin Sheng, Dong-Dong Wu
Summary: By conducting large-scale comparative genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic analyses, we investigated the evolutionary changes of brain genes from ancestral primates to humans and provided a comprehensive listing of innovative genetic elements. The regulatory sequences associated with brain-expressed genes underwent rapid changes, particularly in the ancestor of the Simiiformes. Comparisons of primate and non-primate brain transcriptomic data revealed that these regulatory sequences may drive the high expression of certain genes in primate brains. Our study also demonstrated the recruitment of the primate-specific brain-biased gene BMP7 to regulate neuronal proliferation in the primate ventricular zone. These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of human brain evolution and inherited diseases.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Ben Deen, Caspar M. Schwiedrzik, Julia Sliwa, Winrich A. Freiwald
Summary: Primates have developed diverse cognitive capacities to navigate their complex social world. This article examines the functional specialization in face processing, social interaction understanding, and mental state attribution to understand how the brain implements critical social cognitive abilities. The specialization occurs from single cells to neural populations to hierarchically organized networks, suggesting a pervasive theme in primate brain organization. The circuits processing social information are intertwined with systems processing nonsocial information, indicating common computations applied to different domains. The neural basis of social cognition involves distinct but interacting subnetworks in various brain regions.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hazel Byrne, Timothy H. Webster, Sarah F. Brosnan, Patricia Izar, Jessica W. Lynch
Summary: The Cebidae family, including capuchin and squirrel monkeys, has the largest primate encephalization quotients and exhibits notable lineage-specific traits. Comparative genomics analysis reveals shifts and sustained selective pressures on genes related to brain development, longevity, reproduction, and morphology, highlighting cumulative and diversifying neurobiological adaptations during cebid evolution.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Helen L. Long, Gordon Ramsay, Ulrike Griebel, Edina R. Bene, Dale D. Bowman, Megan M. Burkhardt-Reed, D. Kimbrough Oller
Summary: Research emphasizes both endogenous and social motivations in human vocal development. The study found that infants produce more speech-like vocalizations during independent vocal exploration and play, while more complex speech-like vocalizations occur during periods of social interaction. These findings support the proposal that human infants have an inherent tendency to explore protophone production, which formed the foundation for language.
Article
Biology
Anthony Formaux, Dany Paleressompoulle, Joel Fagot, Nicolas Claidiere
Summary: Conventions are an important aspect of human social and cultural behavior, and they may also play a crucial role in animal societies. However, our understanding of non-human conventions is limited. Through experimentation, it has been found that conventions can readily emerge in non-human primates and exhibit similar fundamental properties as human conventions.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jerome Sallet
Summary: The commentary emphasizes the complementarity of various approaches used to study the neural basis of social cognition. The research findings reveal a complex architecture supporting social cognition and the diverse factors influencing our social decisions.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joonyoung Kang, Hyeji Kim, Seong Hwan Hwang, Minjun Han, Sue-Hyun Lee, Hyoung F. Kim
Summary: The ventral striatum is involved in updating reward values for habit learning, while also stably maintaining the value memory for previously rewarded objects. Days after learning, the ventral striatum continues to show increased responses to these objects, indicating a long-term retention of high-valued object memory.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Cheryl D. Stimpson, Jeroen B. Smaers, Mary Ann Raghanti, Kimberley A. Phillips, Bob Jacobs, William D. Hopkins, Patrick R. Hof, Chet C. Sherwood
Summary: Investigating evolutionary changes in frontal cortex microstructure is crucial to understanding cognition in different primate species. This study found that the rate of evolutionary change is similar across microstructural variables, except for neuropil fraction, which has a stronger correlation with brain size. The study also revealed that neuropil fraction in specific layers of the orbitofrontal cortex is associated with cross-species variation in self-control.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rachel M. Agoglia, Danqiong Sun, Fikri Birey, Se-Jin Yoon, Yuki Miura, Karen Sabatini, Sergiu P. Pasca, Hunter B. Fraser
Summary: A new platform for studying species divergence in cerebral cortical development was developed by fusing human and chimpanzee induced pluripotent stem cells to create a panel of tetraploid hybrid stem cells. This approach revealed specific gene expression divergence and potential for neural behavioral abnormalities related to human evolution.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
E. J. Marijke Achterberg, Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
Summary: Social play behavior has significant effects on brain and behavior development in mammals as well as certain birds and reptiles. The majority of research in this field has been conducted using male rats, including studies on pharmacological and genetic models for autism spectrum disorders, early life manipulations, and environmental factors impacting play behavior. This review summarizes recent advancements and highlights unresolved questions for future studies.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Maeva Michon, Jose Zamorano-Abramson, Francisco Aboitiz
Summary: Recent studies challenge the assumption that imitation is an innate skill, suggesting that it develops through social interactions and sensorimotor experience. A new visual pathway specialized for social perception has been discovered, playing a crucial role in audio-visual integration.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dina R. Assali, Michael Sidikpramana, Andrew P. Villa, Jeffrey Falkenstein, Andrew D. Steele
Summary: D1R signaling plays a crucial role in promoting food anticipatory activity (FAA), but other dopamine receptors may also contribute to FAA. Mice lacking the D1 receptor still retain some level of FAA, suggesting the involvement of other dopamine receptors.
Article
Cell Biology
Anne B. Martin, Michael A. Cardenas, Rose K. Andersen, Archer I. Bowman, Elizabeth A. Hillier, Sliman Bensmaia, Andrew J. Fuglevand, Katalin M. Gothard
Summary: The skin transmits affective signals that integrate into our social vocabulary. Neurons in the somatosensory cortex respond to both types of tactile stimuli, while neurons in the amygdala show changes in baseline firing rates during grooming, suggesting a responsive to social context or associated affective states on longer time scales.