1
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Eichner C, Paquette M, Müller-Axt C, Bock C, Budinger E, Gräßle T, Jäger C, Kirilina E, Lipp I, Morawski M, Rusch H, Wenk P, Weiskopf N, Wittig RM, Crockford C, Friederici AD, Anwander A. Detailed mapping of the complex fiber structure and white matter pathways of the chimpanzee brain. Nat Methods 2024; 21:1122-1130. [PMID: 38831210 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-024-02270-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Long-standing questions about human brain evolution may only be resolved through comparisons with close living evolutionary relatives, such as chimpanzees. This applies in particular to structural white matter (WM) connectivity, which continuously expanded throughout evolution. However, due to legal restrictions on chimpanzee research, neuroscience research currently relies largely on data with limited detail or on comparisons with evolutionarily distant monkeys. Here, we present a detailed magnetic resonance imaging resource to study structural WM connectivity in the chimpanzee. This open-access resource contains (1) WM reconstructions of a postmortem chimpanzee brain, using the highest-quality diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data yet acquired from great apes; (2) an optimized and validated method for high-quality fiber orientation reconstructions; and (3) major fiber tract segmentations for cross-species morphological comparisons. This dataset enabled us to identify phylogenetically relevant details of the chimpanzee connectome, and we anticipate that it will substantially contribute to understanding human brain evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelius Eichner
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Michael Paquette
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christa Müller-Axt
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Bock
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Eike Budinger
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Combinatorial NeuroImaging Core Facility, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioural Neurosciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Gräßle
- Ecology and Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases, Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Carsten Jäger
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Paul Flechsig Institute - Centre of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Berlin, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilona Lipp
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Morawski
- Paul Flechsig Institute - Centre of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Henriette Rusch
- Paul Flechsig Institute - Centre of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Patricia Wenk
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Combinatorial NeuroImaging Core Facility, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Lyon, France
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- The Ape Social Mind Lab, Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, Lyon, France
| | - Angela D Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alfred Anwander
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Pittella JEH. The uniqueness of the human brain: a review. Dement Neuropsychol 2024; 18:e20230078. [PMID: 38628563 PMCID: PMC11019715 DOI: 10.1590/1980-5764-dn-2023-0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to highlight the most important aspects of the anatomical and functional uniqueness of the human brain. For this, a comparison is made between our brains and those of our closest ancestors (chimpanzees and bonobos) and human ancestors. During human evolution, several changes occurred in the brain, such as an absolute increase in brain size and number of cortical neurons, in addition to a greater degree of functional lateralization and anatomical asymmetry. Also, the cortical cytoarchitecture became more diversified and there was an increase in the number of intracortical networks and networks extending from the cerebral cortex to subcortical structures, with more neural networks being invested in multisensory and sensory-motor-affective-cognitive integration. These changes permitted more complex, flexible and versatile cognitive abilities and social behavior, such as shared intentionality and symbolic articulated language, which, in turn, made possible the formation of larger social groups and cumulative cultural evolution that are characteristic of our species.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Eymard Homem Pittella
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Anatomia Patológica e Medicina Legal, Belo Horizonte MG, Brazil
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3
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Assimopoulos S, Warrington S, Bryant KL, Pszczolkowski S, Jbabdi S, Mars RB, Sotiropoulos SN. Generalising XTRACT tractography protocols across common macaque brain templates. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02760-0. [PMID: 38388696 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02760-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Non-human primates are extensively used in neuroscience research as models of the human brain, with the rhesus macaque being a prominent example. We have previously introduced a set of tractography protocols (XTRACT) for reconstructing 42 corresponding white matter (WM) bundles in the human and the macaque brain and have shown cross-species comparisons using such bundles as WM landmarks. Our original XTRACT protocols were developed using the F99 macaque brain template. However, additional macaque template brains are becoming increasingly common. Here, we generalise the XTRACT tractography protocol definitions across five macaque brain templates, including the F99, D99, INIA, Yerkes and NMT. We demonstrate equivalence of such protocols in two ways: (a) Firstly by comparing the bodies of the tracts derived using protocols defined across the different templates considered, (b) Secondly by comparing the projection patterns of the reconstructed tracts across the different templates in two cross-species (human-macaque) comparison tasks. The results confirm similarity of all predictions regardless of the macaque brain template used, providing direct evidence for the generalisability of these tractography protocols across the five considered templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephania Assimopoulos
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Shaun Warrington
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Katherine L Bryant
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN-FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stefan Pszczolkowski
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Saad Jbabdi
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN-FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN-FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Stamatios N Sotiropoulos
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN-FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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4
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Withey SL, Pizzagalli DA, Bergman J. Translational In Vivo Assays in Behavioral Biology. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2024; 64:435-453. [PMID: 37708432 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-051921-093711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The failure of preclinical research to advance successful candidate medications in psychiatry has created a paradigmatic crisis in psychiatry. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative was designed to remedy this situation with a neuroscience-based approach that employs multimodal and cross-species in vivo methodology to increase the probability of translational findings and, consequently, drug discovery. The present review underscores the feasibility of this methodological approach by briefly reviewing, first, the use of multidimensional and cross-species methodologies in traditional behavioral pharmacology and, subsequently, the utility of this approach in contemporary neuroimaging and electrophysiology research-with a focus on the value of functionally homologous studies in nonhuman and human subjects. The final section provides a brief review of the RDoC, with a focus on the potential strengths and weaknesses of its domain-based underpinnings. Optimistically, this mechanistic and multidimensional approach in neuropsychiatric research will lead to novel therapeutics for the management of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Withey
- Preclinical Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jack Bergman
- Preclinical Behavioral Biology Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Friederici AD, Wittig RM, Anwander A, Eichner C, Gräßle T, Jäger C, Kirilina E, Lipp I, Düx A, Edwards LJ, Girard-Buttoz C, Jauch A, Kopp KS, Paquette M, Pine KJ, Unwin S, Haun DBM, Leendertz FH, McElreath R, Morawski M, Gunz P, Weiskopf N, Crockford C. Brain structure and function: a multidisciplinary pipeline to study hominoid brain evolution. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 17:1299087. [PMID: 38260006 PMCID: PMC10800984 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1299087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
To decipher the evolution of the hominoid brain and its functions, it is essential to conduct comparative studies in primates, including our closest living relatives. However, strong ethical concerns preclude in vivo neuroimaging of great apes. We propose a responsible and multidisciplinary alternative approach that links behavior to brain anatomy in non-human primates from diverse ecological backgrounds. The brains of primates observed in the wild or in captivity are extracted and fixed shortly after natural death, and then studied using advanced MRI neuroimaging and histology to reveal macro- and microstructures. By linking detailed neuroanatomy with observed behavior within and across primate species, our approach provides new perspectives on brain evolution. Combined with endocranial brain imprints extracted from computed tomographic scans of the skulls these data provide a framework for decoding evolutionary changes in hominin fossils. This approach is poised to become a key resource for investigating the evolution and functional differentiation of hominoid brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela D. Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- Evolution of Brain Connectivity Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, France
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Alfred Anwander
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cornelius Eichner
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Gräßle
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Jäger
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Center of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ilona Lipp
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ariane Düx
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for One Health, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Luke J. Edwards
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cédric Girard-Buttoz
- Evolution of Brain Connectivity Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, France
| | - Anna Jauch
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kathrin S. Kopp
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Paquette
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kerrin J. Pine
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Steve Unwin
- School of Bioscience, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel B. M. Haun
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fabian H. Leendertz
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for One Health, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Richard McElreath
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Morawski
- Medical Faculty, Center of Neuropathology and Brain Research, Paul Flechsig Institute, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Evolution of Brain Connectivity Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod, UMR CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon, Bron, France
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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6
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Chauvel M, Uszynski I, Herlin B, Popov A, Leprince Y, Mangin JF, Hopkins WD, Poupon C. In vivo mapping of the deep and superficial white matter connectivity in the chimpanzee brain. Neuroimage 2023; 282:120362. [PMID: 37722605 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mapping the chimpanzee brain connectome and comparing it to that of humans is key to our understanding of similarities and differences in primate evolution that occurred after the split from their common ancestor around 6 million years ago. In contrast to studies on macaque species' brains, fewer studies have specifically addressed the structural connectivity of the chimpanzee brain and its comparison with the human brain. Most comparative studies in the literature focus on the anatomy of the cortex and deep nuclei to evaluate how their morphology and asymmetry differ from that of the human brain, and some studies have emerged concerning the study of brain connectivity among humans, monkeys, and apes. In this work, we established a new white matter atlas of the deep and superficial white matter structural connectivity in chimpanzees. In vivo anatomical and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were collected on a 3-Tesla MRI system from 39 chimpanzees. These datasets were subsequently processed using a novel fiber clustering pipeline adapted to the chimpanzee brain, enabling us to create two novel deep and superficial white matter connectivity atlases representative of the chimpanzee brain. These atlases provide the scientific community with an important and novel set of reference data for understanding the commonalities and differences in structural connectivity between the human and chimpanzee brains. We believe this study to be innovative both in its novel approach and in mapping the superficial white matter bundles in the chimpanzee brain, which will contribute to a better understanding of hominin brain evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëlig Chauvel
- BAOBAB, UMR 9027, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Ivy Uszynski
- BAOBAB, UMR 9027, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Bastien Herlin
- BAOBAB, UMR 9027, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France; Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-83 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Alexandros Popov
- BAOBAB, UMR 9027, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Yann Leprince
- UNIACT, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jean-François Mangin
- BAOBAB, UMR 9027, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michale E Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, United States of America
| | - Cyril Poupon
- BAOBAB, UMR 9027, NeuroSpin, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, CEA, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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7
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Bryant KL, Manger PR, Bertelsen MF, Khrapitchev AA, Sallet J, Benn RA, Mars RB. A map of white matter tracts in a lesser ape, the lar gibbon. Brain Struct Funct 2023:10.1007/s00429-023-02709-9. [PMID: 37904002 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02709-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
The recent development of methods for constructing directly comparable white matter atlases in primate brains from diffusion MRI allows us to probe specializations unique to humans, great apes, and other primate taxa. Here, we constructed the first white matter atlas of a lesser ape using an ex vivo diffusion-weighted scan of a brain from a young adult (5.5 years) male lar gibbon. We find that white matter architecture of the gibbon temporal lobe suggests specializations that are reminiscent of those previously reported for great apes, specifically, the expansion of the arcuate fasciculus and the inferior longitudinal fasciculus in the temporal lobe. Our findings suggest these white matter expansions into the temporal lobe were present in the last common ancestor to hominoids approximately 16 million years ago and were further modified in the great ape and human lineages. White matter atlases provide a useful resource for identifying neuroanatomical differences and similarities between humans and other primate species and provide insight into the evolutionary variation and stasis of brain organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Bryant
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Jérôme Sallet
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Bron, France
| | - R Austin Benn
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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8
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Friederici AD. Evolutionary neuroanatomical expansion of Broca's region serving a human-specific function. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:786-796. [PMID: 37596132 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The question concerning the evolution of language is directly linked to the debate on whether language and action are dependent or not and to what extent Broca's region serves as a common neural basis. The debate resulted in two opposing views, one arguing for and one against the dependence of language and action mainly based on neuroscientific data. This article presents an evolutionary neuroanatomical framework which may offer a solution to this dispute. It is proposed that in humans, Broca's region houses language and action independently in spatially separated subregions. This became possible due to an evolutionary expansion of Broca's region in the human brain, which was not paralleled by a similar expansion in the chimpanzee's brain, providing additional space needed for the neural representation of language in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela D Friederici
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuropsychology, Stephanstraße 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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9
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van den Heuvel MP, Ardesch DJ, Scholtens LH, de Lange SC, van Haren NEM, Sommer IEC, Dannlowski U, Repple J, Preuss TM, Hopkins WD, Rilling JK. Human and chimpanzee shared and divergent neurobiological systems for general and specific cognitive brain functions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218565120. [PMID: 37216540 PMCID: PMC10235977 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218565120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A long-standing topic of interest in human neurosciences is the understanding of the neurobiology underlying human cognition. Less commonly considered is to what extent such systems may be shared with other species. We examined individual variation in brain connectivity in the context of cognitive abilities in chimpanzees (n = 45) and humans in search of a conserved link between cognition and brain connectivity across the two species. Cognitive scores were assessed on a variety of behavioral tasks using chimpanzee- and human-specific cognitive test batteries, measuring aspects of cognition related to relational reasoning, processing speed, and problem solving in both species. We show that chimpanzees scoring higher on such cognitive skills display relatively strong connectivity among brain networks also associated with comparable cognitive abilities in the human group. We also identified divergence in brain networks that serve specialized functions across humans and chimpanzees, such as stronger language connectivity in humans and relatively more prominent connectivity between regions related to spatial working memory in chimpanzees. Our findings suggest that core neural systems of cognition may have evolved before the divergence of chimpanzees and humans, along with potential differential investments in other brain networks relating to specific functional specializations between the two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn P. van den Heuvel
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Dirk Jan Ardesch
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Lianne H. Scholtens
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Siemon C. de Lange
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
- Department of Sleep and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam1105 BA, the Netherlands
| | - Neeltje E. M. van Haren
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht3584 CX, the Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam3015 CE, the Netherlands
| | - Iris E. C. Sommer
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen9700 RB, the Netherlands
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster48149, Germany
| | - Jonathan Repple
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt60438, Germany
| | - Todd M. Preuss
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30329
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30307
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX77030
| | - James K. Rilling
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30329
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30329
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
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10
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Kamali A, Milosavljevic S, Gandhi A, Lano KR, Shobeiri P, Sherbaf FG, Sair HI, Riascos RF, Hasan KM. The Cortico-Limbo-Thalamo-Cortical Circuits: An Update to the Original Papez Circuit of the Human Limbic System. Brain Topogr 2023; 36:371-389. [PMID: 37148369 PMCID: PMC10164017 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-00955-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The Papez circuit, first proposed by James Papez in 1937, is a circuit believed to control memory and emotions, composed of the cingulate cortex, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Pursuant to James Papez, Paul Yakovlev and Paul MacLean incorporated the prefrontal/orbitofrontal cortex, septum, amygdalae, and anterior temporal lobes into the limbic system. Over the past few years, diffusion-weighted tractography techniques revealed additional limbic fiber connectivity, which incorporates multiple circuits to the already known complex limbic network. In the current review, we aimed to comprehensively summarize the anatomy of the limbic system and elaborate on the anatomical connectivity of the limbic circuits based on the published literature as an update to the original Papez circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Kamali
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology Section, University of Texas at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | | | - Anusha Gandhi
- Baylor College of Medicine Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kinsey R Lano
- McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Parnian Shobeiri
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University Medical School, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzaneh Ghazi Sherbaf
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, The Russell H. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haris I Sair
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, The Russell H. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Roy F Riascos
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology Section, University of Texas at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Khader M Hasan
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology Section, University of Texas at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
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11
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Charvet CJ. Mapping Human Brain Pathways: Challenges and Opportunities in the Integration of Scales. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2023; 98:194-209. [PMID: 36972574 DOI: 10.1159/000530317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The human brain is composed of a complex web of pathways. Diffusion magnetic resonance (MR) tractography is a neuroimaging technique that relies on the principle of diffusion to reconstruct brain pathways. Its tractography is broadly applicable to a range of problems as it is amenable for study in individuals of any age and from any species. However, it is well known that this technique can generate biologically implausible pathways, especially in regions of the brain where multiple fibers cross. This review highlights potential misconnections in two cortico-cortical association pathways with a focus on the aslant tract and inferior frontal occipital fasciculus. The lack of alternative methods to validate observations from diffusion MR tractography means there is a need to develop new integrative approaches to trace human brain pathways. This review discusses integrative approaches in neuroimaging, anatomical, and transcriptional variation as having much potential to trace the evolution of human brain pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine J Charvet
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
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12
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Hill H, Mirazón Lahr M, Beaudet A. Brain evolution and language: A comparative 3D analysis of Wernicke's area in extant and fossil hominids. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 275:117-142. [PMID: 36841566 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The spoken word does not fossilize. Despite this, scientists have long sought to unearth the origins of language within the human lineage. One of the lines of evidence they have pursued is functional brain areas, such as Broca's and Wernicke's areas, which are associated with speech production and comprehension, respectively. Sulcal layout of Broca's area clearly differs between humans and our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, enabling its homolog in fossil hominins to be deemed more chimpanzee-like (i.e., closer to the ancestral form) or more human-like (i.e., derived form) with relative ease. Yet, no such differences have been found for Wernicke's area. This study compares sulcal and gyral organization of Wernicke's area across extant human brains (n=4), extant chimpanzee brains (n=5) and fossil hominin endocasts (n=4). Some chimpanzee brains had indications of leftward Wernicke's area asymmetry in the form of a shorter Sylvian fissure and/or caudal superior temporal gyral bulging in the left hemisphere. Overlap between the superior and middle temporal sulci in human but not chimpanzee brains may be due to a relatively larger Wernicke's area in humans. Fragmentation of the main body of the superior temporal sulcus exclusively in human left hemispheres was ascribed to a leftward Wernicke's area asymmetry in this species. Endocast examination found that, while Paranthropus robustus exhibit human-like overlap between the superior and middle temporal sulci, Australopithecus africanus do not, although they do exhibit chimpanzee-like caudal superior temporal gyral bulging. Such findings signal, albeit loosely, a more human-like Wernicke's area in Paranthropus than Australopithecus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmony Hill
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Mirazón Lahr
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Amélie Beaudet
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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13
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Alagöz G, Molz B, Eising E, Schijven D, Francks C, Stein JL, Fisher SE. Using neuroimaging genomics to investigate the evolution of human brain structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2200638119. [PMID: 36161899 PMCID: PMC9546597 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2200638119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in brain size and organization represent some of the most distinctive changes in the emergence of our species. Yet, there is limited understanding of how genetic factors contributed to altered neuroanatomy during human evolution. Here, we analyze neuroimaging and genetic data from up to 30,000 people in the UK Biobank and integrate with genomic annotations for different aspects of human evolution, including those based on ancient DNA and comparative genomics. We show that previously reported signals of recent polygenic selection for cortical anatomy are not replicable in a more ancestrally homogeneous sample. We then investigate relationships between evolutionary annotations and common genetic variants shaping cortical surface area and white-matter connectivity for each hemisphere. Our analyses identify single-nucleotide polymorphism heritability enrichment in human-gained regulatory elements that are active in early brain development, affecting surface areas of several parts of the cortex, including left-hemispheric speech-associated regions. We also detect heritability depletion in genomic regions with Neanderthal ancestry for connectivity of the uncinate fasciculus; this is a white-matter tract involved in memory, language, and socioemotional processing with relevance to neuropsychiatric disorders. Finally, we show that common genetic loci associated with left-hemispheric pars triangularis surface area overlap with a human-gained enhancer and affect regulation of ZIC4, a gene implicated in neurogenesis. This work demonstrates how genomic investigations of present-day neuroanatomical variation can help shed light on the complexities of our evolutionary past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gökberk Alagöz
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6500 AH Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Molz
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6500 AH Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Else Eising
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6500 AH Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dick Schijven
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6500 AH Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6500 AH Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jason L. Stein
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Simon E. Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6500 AH Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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14
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Comparing human and chimpanzee temporal lobe neuroanatomy reveals modifications to human language hubs beyond the frontotemporal arcuate fasciculus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2118295119. [PMID: 35787056 PMCID: PMC9282369 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118295119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The biological foundation for the language-ready brain in the human lineage remains a debated subject. In humans, the arcuate fasciculus (AF) white matter and the posterior portions of the middle temporal gyrus are crucial for language. Compared with other primates, the human AF has been shown to dramatically extend into the posterior temporal lobe, which forms the basis of a number of models of the structural connectivity basis of language. Recent advances in both language research and comparative neuroimaging invite a reassessment of the anatomical differences in language streams between humans and our closest relatives. Here, we show that posterior temporal connectivity via the AF in humans compared with chimpanzees is expanded in terms of its connectivity not just to the ventral frontal cortex but also to the parietal cortex. At the same time, posterior temporal regions connect more strongly to the ventral white matter in chimpanzees as opposed to humans. This pattern is present in both brain hemispheres. Additionally, we show that the anterior temporal lobe harbors a combination of connections present in both species through the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle and human-unique expansions through the uncinate and middle and inferior longitudinal fascicles. These findings elucidate structural changes that are unique to humans and may underlie the anatomical foundations for full-fledged language capacity.
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15
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Bullock DN, Hayday EA, Grier MD, Tang W, Pestilli F, Heilbronner SR. A taxonomy of the brain's white matter: twenty-one major tracts for the 21st century. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4524-4548. [PMID: 35169827 PMCID: PMC9574243 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The functional and computational properties of brain areas are determined, in large part, by their connectivity profiles. Advances in neuroimaging and network neuroscience allow us to characterize the human brain noninvasively, but a comprehensive understanding of the human brain demands an account of the anatomy of brain connections. Long-range anatomical connections are instantiated by white matter, which itself is organized into tracts. These tracts are often disrupted by central nervous system disorders, and they can be targeted by neuromodulatory interventions, such as deep brain stimulation. Here, we characterized the connections, morphology, traversal, and functions of the major white matter tracts in the brain. There are major discrepancies across different accounts of white matter tract anatomy, hindering our attempts to accurately map the connectivity of the human brain. However, we are often able to clarify the source(s) of these discrepancies through careful consideration of both histological tract-tracing and diffusion-weighted tractography studies. In combination, the advantages and disadvantages of each method permit novel insights into brain connectivity. Ultimately, our synthesis provides an essential reference for neuroscientists and clinicians interested in brain connectivity and anatomy, allowing for the study of the association of white matter's properties with behavior, development, and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel N Bullock
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA,Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Elena A Hayday
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Mark D Grier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | | | - Sarah R Heilbronner
- Address correspondence to Sarah R. Heilbronner, Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2-164 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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16
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Preuss TM, Wise SP. Evolution of prefrontal cortex. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:3-19. [PMID: 34363014 PMCID: PMC8617185 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01076-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Subdivisions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) evolved at different times. Agranular parts of the PFC emerged in early mammals, and rodents, primates, and other modern mammals share them by inheritance. These are limbic areas and include the agranular orbital cortex and agranular medial frontal cortex (areas 24, 32, and 25). Rodent research provides valuable insights into the structure, functions, and development of these shared areas, but it contributes less to parts of the PFC that are specific to primates, namely, the granular, isocortical PFC that dominates the frontal lobe in humans. The first granular PFC areas evolved either in early primates or in the last common ancestor of primates and tree shrews. Additional granular PFC areas emerged in the primate stem lineage, as represented by modern strepsirrhines. Other granular PFC areas evolved in simians, the group that includes apes, humans, and monkeys. In general, PFC accreted new areas along a roughly posterior to anterior trajectory during primate evolution. A major expansion of the granular PFC occurred in humans in concert with other association areas, with modifications of corticocortical connectivity and gene expression, although current evidence does not support the addition of a large number of new, human-specific PFC areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Preuss
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
| | - Steven P Wise
- Olschefskie Institute for the Neurobiology of Knowledge, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
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17
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Becker Y, Loh KK, Coulon O, Meguerditchian A. The Arcuate Fasciculus and language origins: Disentangling existing conceptions that influence evolutionary accounts. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 134:104490. [PMID: 34914937 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The Arcuate Fasciculus (AF) is of considerable interdisciplinary interest, because of its major implication in language processing. Theories about language brain evolution are based on anatomical differences in the AF across primates. However, changing methodologies and nomenclatures have resulted in conflicting findings regarding interspecies AF differences: Historical knowledge about the AF originated from human blunt dissections and later from monkey tract-tracing studies. Contemporary tractography studies reinvestigate the fasciculus' morphology, but remain heavily bound to unclear anatomical priors and methodological limitations. First, we aim to disentangle the influences of these three epistemological steps on existing AF conceptions, and to propose a contemporary model to guide future work. Second, considering the influence of various AF conceptions, we discuss four key evolutionary changes that propagated current views about language evolution: 1) frontal terminations, 2) temporal terminations, 3) greater Dorsal- versus Ventral Pathway expansion, 4) lateralisation. We conclude that new data point towards a more shared AF anatomy across primates than previously described. Language evolution theories should incorporate this continuous AF evolution across primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Becker
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS UMR 7290, Marseille, France; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS UMR 7289, Marseille, France.
| | - Kep Kee Loh
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS UMR 7290, Marseille, France; Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS UMR 7289, Marseille, France; Institute for Language, Communication, and the Brain, Aix-Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Coulon
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS UMR 7289, Marseille, France; Institute for Language, Communication, and the Brain, Aix-Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Adrien Meguerditchian
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS UMR 7290, Marseille, France; Institute for Language, Communication, and the Brain, Aix-Marseille Univ, Marseille, France; Station de Primatologie CNRS, Rousset, France
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18
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Bryant KL, Ardesch DJ, Roumazeilles L, Scholtens LH, Khrapitchev AA, Tendler BC, Wu W, Miller KL, Sallet J, van den Heuvel MP, Mars RB. Diffusion MRI data, sulcal anatomy, and tractography for eight species from the Primate Brain Bank. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:2497-2509. [PMID: 34264391 PMCID: PMC8608778 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02268-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale comparative neuroscience requires data from many species and, ideally, at multiple levels of description. Here, we contribute to this endeavor by presenting diffusion and structural MRI data from eight primate species that have not or rarely been described in the literature. The selected samples from the Primate Brain Bank cover a prosimian, New and Old World monkeys, and a great ape. We present preliminary labelling of the cortical sulci and tractography of the optic radiation, dorsal part of the cingulum bundle, and dorsal parietal-frontal and ventral temporal-frontal longitudinal white matter tracts. Both dorsal and ventral association fiber systems could be observed in all samples, with the dorsal tracts occupying much less relative volume in the prosimian than in other species. We discuss the results in the context of known primate specializations and present hypotheses for further research. All data and results presented here are available online as a resource for the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Bryant
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for fMRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX9 3DU, UK
| | - Dirk Jan Ardesch
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lea Roumazeilles
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lianne H Scholtens
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandre A Khrapitchev
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Cancer Research UK and Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Oxford, UK
| | - Benjamin C Tendler
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for fMRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX9 3DU, UK
| | - Wenchuan Wu
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for fMRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX9 3DU, UK
| | - Karla L Miller
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for fMRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX9 3DU, UK
| | - Jerome Sallet
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, 69500, Bron, France
| | - Martijn P van den Heuvel
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for fMRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX9 3DU, UK.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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19
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Roumazeilles L, Lange FJ, Benn RA, Andersson JLR, Bertelsen MF, Manger PR, Flach E, Khrapitchev AA, Bryant KL, Sallet J, Mars RB. Cortical Morphology and White Matter Tractography of Three Phylogenetically Distant Primates: Evidence for a Simian Elaboration. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:1608-1624. [PMID: 34518890 PMCID: PMC9016287 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative neuroimaging has been used to identify changes in white matter architecture across primate species phylogenetically close to humans, but few have compared the phylogenetically distant species. Here, we acquired postmortem diffusion imaging data from ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), black-capped squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We were able to establish templates and surfaces allowing us to investigate sulcal, cortical, and white matter anatomy. The results demonstrate an expansion of the frontal projections of the superior longitudinal fasciculus complex in squirrel monkeys and rhesus macaques compared to ring-tailed lemurs, which correlates with sulcal anatomy and the lemur’s smaller prefrontal granular cortex. The connectivity of the ventral pathway in the parietal region is also comparatively reduced in ring-tailed lemurs, with the posterior projections of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus not extending toward parietal cortical areas as in the other species. In the squirrel monkeys we note a very specific occipito-parietal anatomy that is apparent in their surface anatomy and the expansion of the posterior projections of the optical radiation. Our study supports the hypothesis that the connectivity of the prefrontal-parietal regions became relatively elaborated in the simian lineage after divergence from the prosimian lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Roumazeilles
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13TA, UK
| | - Frederik J Lange
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX39DU, UK
| | - R Austin Benn
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Jesper L R Andersson
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX39DU, UK
| | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg 2000, Denmark
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Edmund Flach
- Wildlife Health Services, Zoological Society of London, London NW14RY, UK (now retired)
| | - Alexandre A Khrapitchev
- MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX37DQ, UK
| | - Katherine L Bryant
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX39DU, UK
| | - Jérôme Sallet
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX13TA, UK.,Université Lyon 1, Inserm, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, Bron 69500, France
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX39DU, UK.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen 6525 HR, The Netherlands
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20
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Cheng L, Zhang Y, Li G, Wang J, Sherwood C, Gong G, Fan L, Jiang T. Connectional asymmetry of the inferior parietal lobule shapes hemispheric specialization in humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques. eLife 2021; 10:e67600. [PMID: 34219649 PMCID: PMC8257252 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The inferior parietal lobule (IPL) is one of the most expanded cortical regions in humans relative to other primates. It is also among the most structurally and functionally asymmetric regions in the human cerebral cortex. Whether the structural and connectional asymmetries of IPL subdivisions differ across primate species and how this relates to functional asymmetries remain unclear. We identified IPL subregions that exhibited positive allometric in both hemispheres, scaling across rhesus macaque monkeys, chimpanzees, and humans. The patterns of IPL subregions asymmetry were similar in chimpanzees and humans, but no IPL asymmetries were evident in macaques. Among the comparative sample of primates, humans showed the most widespread asymmetric connections in the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices, constituting leftward asymmetric networks that may provide an anatomical basis for language and tool use. Unique human asymmetric connectivity between the IPL and primary motor cortex might be related to handedness. These findings suggest that structural and connectional asymmetries may underlie hemispheric specialization of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Cheng
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuanchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Gang Li
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jiaojian Wang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
- Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of NeuroscienceShenzhenChina
| | - Chet Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington UniversityWashingtonUnited States
| | - Gaolang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Lingzhong Fan
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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21
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Vos de Wael R, Royer J, Tavakol S, Wang Y, Paquola C, Benkarim O, Eichert N, Larivière S, Xu T, Misic B, Smallwood J, Valk SL, Bernhardt BC. Structural Connectivity Gradients of the Temporal Lobe Serve as Multiscale Axes of Brain Organization and Cortical Evolution. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5151-5164. [PMID: 34148082 PMCID: PMC8491677 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The temporal lobe is implicated in higher cognitive processes and is one of the regions that underwent substantial reorganization during primate evolution. Its functions are instantiated, in part, by the complex layout of its structural connections. Here, we identified low-dimensional representations of structural connectivity variations in human temporal cortex and explored their microstructural underpinnings and associations to macroscale function. We identified three eigenmodes which described gradients in structural connectivity. These gradients reflected inter-regional variations in cortical microstructure derived from quantitative magnetic resonance imaging and postmortem histology. Gradient-informed models accurately predicted macroscale measures of temporal lobe function. Furthermore, the identified gradients aligned closely with established measures of functional reconfiguration and areal expansion between macaques and humans, highlighting their potential role in shaping temporal lobe function throughout primate evolution. Findings were replicated in several datasets. Our results provide robust evidence for three axes of structural connectivity in human temporal cortex with consistent microstructural underpinnings and contributions to large-scale brain network function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinder Vos de Wael
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Jessica Royer
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Shahin Tavakol
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Yezhou Wang
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Casey Paquola
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Oualid Benkarim
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Nicole Eichert
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sara Larivière
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Ting Xu
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, NY 10022, USA
| | - Bratislav Misic
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | | | - Sofie L Valk
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- Address correspondence to Boris C. Bernhardt, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute (NW-256), McGill University, 3801 Rue University, Montréal, QC H3A2B4, Canada.
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22
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Latini F, Trevisi G, Fahlström M, Jemstedt M, Alberius Munkhammar Å, Zetterling M, Hesselager G, Ryttlefors M. New Insights Into the Anatomy, Connectivity and Clinical Implications of the Middle Longitudinal Fasciculus. Front Neuroanat 2021; 14:610324. [PMID: 33584207 PMCID: PMC7878690 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.610324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The middle longitudinal fascicle (MdLF) is a long, associative white matter tract connecting the superior temporal gyrus (STG) with the parietal and occipital lobe. Previous studies show different cortical terminations, and a possible segmentation pattern of the tract. In this study, we performed a post-mortem white matter dissection of 12 human hemispheres and an in vivo deterministic fiber tracking of 24 subjects acquired from the Human Connectome Project to establish whether a constant organization of fibers exists among the MdLF subcomponents and to acquire anatomical information on each subcomponent. Moreover, two clinical cases of brain tumors impinged on MdLF territories are reported to further discuss the anatomical results in light of previously published data on the functional involvement of this bundle. The main finding is that the MdLF is consistently organized into two layers: an antero-ventral segment (aMdLF) connecting the anterior STG (including temporal pole and planum polare) and the extrastriate lateral occipital cortex, and a posterior-dorsal segment (pMdLF) connecting the posterior STG, anterior transverse temporal gyrus and planum temporale with the superior parietal lobule and lateral occipital cortex. The anatomical connectivity pattern and quantitative differences between the MdLF subcomponents along with the clinical cases reported in this paper support the role of MdLF in high-order functions related to acoustic information. We suggest that pMdLF may contribute to the learning process associated with verbal-auditory stimuli, especially on left side, while aMdLF may play a role in processing/retrieving auditory information already consolidated within the temporal lobe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Latini
- Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Ospedale Santo Spirito, Pescara, Italy
| | - Gianluca Trevisi
- Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Ospedale Santo Spirito, Pescara, Italy
| | - Markus Fahlström
- Section of Radiology, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Malin Jemstedt
- Section of Speech-Language Pathology, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Maria Zetterling
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Göran Hesselager
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Ryttlefors
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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