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

Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

1.3K
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
1.3K
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

446
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
446
Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

3.7K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
3.7K
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

869
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...
869
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs01:23

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

944
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
944
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

2.2K
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...
2.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Positive selection on brain cis-regulatory elements in the human lineage drives changes in gene expression and susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders.

HGG advances·2026
Same author

Long-read structural variant discovery and targeted short read genotyping enables population scale characterization of structural variation in rhesus macaques.

Genome biology·2025
Same author

Accounting for Chimerism in Demographic Inference: Reconstructing the History of Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) from High-Quality, Whole-Genome, Population-Level Data.

Molecular biology and evolution·2025
Same author

Accounting for chimerism in demographic inference: reconstructing the history of common marmosets ( <i>Callithrix jacchus</i> ) from high-quality, whole-genome, population-level data.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Persistence of Lithium Underutilization in Patients of African Ancestry with Bipolar Disorder.

Psychopharmacology bulletin·2025
Same author

Cyclopia in a newborn rhesus macaque born to a dam infected with SIV and receiving antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy.

Current trends in immunology·2024
Same journal

Preface.

Progress in brain research·2025
Same journal

Mindfulness and meditation: Promoting emotional and cognitive health.

Progress in brain research·2025
Same journal

Cognitive stimulation enhancing memory and mental function.

Progress in brain research·2025
Same journal

The science behind non-pharmacological interventions.

Progress in brain research·2025
Same journal

Technology-assisted interventions for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Progress in brain research·2025
Same journal

Ethical consideration in non-pharmacological treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Progress in brain research·2025
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 4, 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

1.8K

Genetics of human brain evolution.

Eric J Vallender1

  • 1University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States; Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States.

Progress in Brain Research
|November 10, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Genetic changes drive human brain evolution, increasing its size and complexity since our last common ape ancestor. Understanding these molecular evolution events requires comparative genetic analysis.

Keywords:
AdaptationComparative genomicsDivergenceGene expressionGene regulationMolecular evolutionProtein functionSelectionSpecialization

More Related Videos

Derivation of a Human Brain Organoid with Microglia Development
10:34

Derivation of a Human Brain Organoid with Microglia Development

Published on: January 17, 2025

1.8K
Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue
10:58

Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue

Published on: October 1, 2008

22.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 4, 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

1.8K
Derivation of a Human Brain Organoid with Microglia Development
10:34

Derivation of a Human Brain Organoid with Microglia Development

Published on: January 17, 2025

1.8K
Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue
10:58

Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue

Published on: October 1, 2008

22.5K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Human brain evolution is characterized by significant increases in size and complexity.
  • These changes are rooted in alterations at the genetic level.
  • Understanding molecular evolution necessitates knowledge of genetic underpinnings and comparative genetic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline current knowledge on the genetics of human brain evolution.
  • To explore genetic changes since the last common ape ancestor.
  • To discuss genetic influences on brain development, function, and environmental interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genetic analysis to identify signatures of selection.
  • Review of genetic changes impacting brain development and function.
  • Examination of indirect influences via prenatal and postnatal environments.

Main Results:

  • Focus on genetic alterations unique to primate brain evolution and broader human evolution.
  • Identification of genetic factors directly and indirectly shaping brain evolution.
  • Framework for understanding diverse data in human brain evolution.

Conclusions:

  • Genetic evolution is central to human brain development and complexity.
  • Comparative genetics provides tools to study selection signatures.
  • A comprehensive framework is emerging for human brain evolution research.