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Human encephalization and developmental timing.

Lucio Vinicius1

  • 1Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, United Kingdom. lvc22@hermes.cam.ac.uk

Journal of Human Evolution
|October 18, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Human evolution

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Paleoanthropology
  • Developmental biology

Background:

  • Human evolution is often studied through changes in developmental timing, particularly encephalization (brain size increase).
  • The "brain allometry extension" theory suggests human brain enlargement resulted from extending primate brain allometry into postnatal development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the "brain allometry extension" theory using primate and human growth data.
  • To propose an alternative model for human encephalization based on developmental timing.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of published primate and human growth data.
  • Comparative study of brain growth duration and allometry across species.
  • Examination of postnatal body growth patterns in humans and other mammals.

Main Results:

  • Primate and human growth data do not support the "brain allometry extension" model.
  • Human encephalization is better explained by three developmental timing changes: moderate brain growth extension, derived brain allometry, and retarded postnatal body growth.
  • Retarded early postnatal body growth significantly impacts adult encephalization in humans and other anthropoid primates.

Conclusions:

  • The "brain allometry extension" model for human brain enlargement is not supported by current data.
  • Human encephalization is a complex outcome of evolutionary shifts in brain growth duration, brain allometry, and body growth patterns.
  • Revisiting adaptive scenarios for human encephalization is necessary following the rejection of the "brain allometry extension" model.

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