Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
Neurulation01:30

Neurulation

Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the anterior...
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are themselves.
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
Cognitivism01:17

Cognitivism

Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The MacBrain Resource Center (MBRC) rhesus macaque postnatal brain histology datasets: Enabling new discoveries through NHP tissue and digital data Repositories.

Journal of anatomy·2026
Same author

The MacBrain Resource Center (MBRC) rhesus macaque embryonic brain histology datasets.

Journal of anatomy·2026
Same author

Lamination of primary visual cortex in the macaque: Layer 5 subdivisions.

Journal of anatomy·2026
Same author

Accomplishments of "Old-Fashioned" Electron Microscopy in the Period of Dominance of Immunofluorescent Methods.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same author

NeMO Analytics: a compendium of transcriptomic data for the exploration of neocortical development.

Nature neuroscience·2026
Same author

High-resolution in utero SV2A PET imaging of the nonhuman primate brain using the NeuroEXPLORER.

Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function
07:13

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function

Published on: November 29, 2024

Evolution of the neocortex: a perspective from developmental biology.

Pasko Rakic1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA. pasco.rakic@yale.edu.

Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|September 19, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Human evolution

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The human brain's unique cognitive abilities stem from the cerebral neocortex's expansion.
  • Understanding the genetic and cellular basis of neocortex evolution is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary origins of human-specific traits by examining the embryonic cerebral cortex across mammalian species.
  • To identify genetic and cellular mechanisms driving neocortical evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of embryonic cerebral cortex development in various mammalian species.
  • Examination of gene expression patterns, molecular pathways, and cellular interactions.

Main Results:

  • Identified novel genetic and molecular pathways contributing to neocortical expansion.

More Related Videos

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)
09:25

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)

Published on: May 8, 2020

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development
13:47

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development

Published on: April 3, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function
07:13

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function

Published on: November 29, 2024

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)
09:25

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)

Published on: May 8, 2020

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development
13:47

Ex utero Electroporation and Whole Hemisphere Explants: A Simple Experimental Method for Studies of Early Cortical Development

Published on: April 3, 2013

  • Revealed species-specific cellular interactions influencing brain evolution.

    • Conclusions:

    • Novelties in human cognition arise from specific evolutionary changes in the embryonic cerebral cortex.
    • Insights into neocortical evolution may inform understanding and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.