Gray matter volume and asymmetry in Broca's and Wernicke's area homologs in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) using a probabilistic region of interest approach.

Broca's and Wernicke's areas are comprised of Brodmann areas 44, 45 and 22 in the human brain. Because of their roles in higher cognitive and linguistic function, there has been historical and contemporary interest in comparative studies on the morphology and cytoarchitectonic organization in Broca's and Wernicke's between primate species. One challenge to comparative morphological studies between human and nonhuman primates for Broca's and Wernicke's areas is the absence in homologous sulci used to define these regions.

Predictive Methods and Probabilistic Mapping of Subcortical Brain Components in Fossil Carnivora.

Paleoneurology reconstructs the evolutionary history of nervous systems through direct observations from the fossil record and comparative data from extant species. Although this approach can provide direct evidence of phylogenetic links among species, it is constrained by the availability and quality of data that can be gleaned from the fossil record. Here, we sought to translate brain component relationships in a sample of extant Carnivora to make inferences about brain structure in fossil species.

Comparative anatomy of the caudate nucleus in canids and felids: Associations with brain size, curvature, cross-sectional properties, and behavioral ecology.

The evolutionary history of canids and felids is marked by a deep time separation that has uniquely shaped their behavior and phenotype toward refined predatory abilities. The caudate nucleus is a subcortical brain structure associated with both motor control and cognitive, emotional, and executive functions. We used a combination of three-dimensional imaging, allometric scaling, and structural analyses to compare the size and shape characteristics of the caudate nucleus.

Nuclear parcellation and numbers of orexinergic neurons in five species of larger brained birds.

The orexinergic/hypocretinergic system, while having several roles, appears to be a key link in the balance between arousal and food intake. In birds, to date, this system has only been examined anatomically in four species, all with brains smaller than 3.5 g and of limited phylogenetic range.

Neuropil Variation in the Prefrontal, Motor, and Visual Cortex of Six Felids.

Introduction: Felids have evolved a specialized suite of morphological adaptations for obligate carnivory. Although the musculoskeletal anatomy of the Felidae has been studied extensively, the comparative neuroanatomy of felids is relatively unexplored. Little is known about how variation in the cerebral anatomy of felids relates to species-specific differences in sociality, hunting strategy, or activity patterns.