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Updated: May 26, 2026
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Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
Published on: September 5, 2018
Minicolumn size and human cortex
1College of Social Work and Department of Anthropology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. buxhoeve@gwm.sc.edu
Progress in Brain Research
|January 11, 2012
Summary
Primate minicolumns evolved with brain size, but human brain growth may be limited. Future adaptations might involve minicolumn downsizing, potentially altering information processing and behavior.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Evolutionary Biology
- Comparative Anatomy
Background:
- Minicolumns in primates are notably small compared to other mammals.
- Early primate minicolumns were narrow and enlarged with encephalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary trajectory of primate minicolumns.
- To investigate the relationship between minicolumn size, brain evolution, and potential future adaptations.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of minicolumn size across primate species.
- Examination of evolutionary trends in relation to encephalization.
Main Results:
- Primate minicolumns increased in size with encephalization, largest in apes and humans.
- Continued human brain expansion faces limitations, suggesting organizational adaptations like minicolumn downsizing.
Conclusions:
- Minicolumn downsizing could enable increased processing units without cortical expansion.
- Altered information processing in smaller minicolumns raises questions about behavior and potential size variations in modern human populations.
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