The Fractal Geometry of the Human Brain: An Evolutionary Perspective

The evolution of the brain in mammals is characterized by changes in size, architecture, and internal organization. Consequently, the geometry of the brain, and especially the size and shape of the cerebral cortex, has changed notably during evolution. Comparative studies of the cerebral cortex suggest that there are general architectural principles governing its growth and evolutionary development. In this chapter, some of the design principles and operational modes that underlie the fractal geometry and information processing capacity of the cerebral cortex in primates, including humans, will be explored. It is shown that the development of the cortex coordinates folding with connectivity in a way that produces smaller and faster brains.