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Homo sapiens and Neanderthals share high cerebral cortex integration into adulthood
Gabriele Sansalone1,2, Antonio Profico3, Stephen Wroe4
1Function, Evolution & Anatomy Research Lab, Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. gsansalone@uniroma3.it.
Nature Ecology & Evolution
|January 5, 2023
Summary
Modern humans and Neanderthals show uniquely high brain area covariation, suggesting natural selection favored integrated brains for complex cognition. This contrasts with other primates, where high covariation is mainly seen in immature individuals.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Paleoanthropology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Debate exists on whether human brain evolution involved independent cortical area development or high integration.
- Recent research suggests brain area integration may drive specialized cognitive functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate unique developmental covariation patterns in modern human brains.
- To assess if hominins exhibited accelerated evolution of brain covariation compared to other primates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3D geometric morphometrics on primate and hominin endocasts.
- Analyzed brain shape evolution across 148 extant primate species and 6 fossil hominins.
- Compared developmental stages in modern humans and great apes.
Main Results:
- Homo sapiens maintain high cortical area covariation into adulthood, unlike other great apes.
- Hominins, including Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis, show significantly higher evolutionary rates of brain covariation than other primates.
- These findings persist after excluding extinct species and accounting for allometry.
Conclusions:
- High brain covariation appears to be a key factor in the evolution of advanced cognitive capacities and complex behaviors in humans and Neanderthals.
- Natural selection likely favored highly integrated brains in both Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis.
- This study challenges the notion of purely independent cortical evolution in humans.
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