The brains and minds of our human ancestors remain inaccessible for experimental exploration. Therefore, we reconstructed human cognitive evolution by projecting nonsynonymous/synonymous rate ratios (ω values) in mammalian phylogeny onto the anatomically modern human (AMH) brain. This atlas retraces human neurogenetic selection and allows imputation of ancestral evolution in task-related functional networks (FNs). Adaptive evolution (high ω values) is associated with excitatory neurons and synaptic function. It shifted from FNs for motor control in anthropoid ancestry (60-41 mya) to attention in ancient hominoids (26-19 mya) and hominids (19-7.4 mya). Selection in FNs for language emerged with an early hominin ancestor (7.4-1.7 mya) and was later accompanied by adaptive evolution in FNs for strategic thinking during recent (0.8 mya-present) speciation of AMHs. This pattern mirrors increasingly complex cognitive demands and suggests that co-selection for language alongside strategic thinking may have separated AMHs from their archaic Denisovan and Neanderthal relatives.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111287 | DOI Listing |
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Section on Perception, Cognition, Action, Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
To what extent does concept formation require language? Here, we exploit color to address this question and ask whether macaque monkeys have color concepts evident as categories. Macaques have similar cone photoreceptors and central visual circuits to humans, yet they lack language. Whether Old World monkeys such as macaques have consensus color categories is unresolved, but if they do, then language cannot be required.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125.
Cognition relies on transforming sensory inputs into a generalizable understanding of the world. Mirror neurons have been proposed to underlie this process, mapping visual representations of others' actions and sensations onto neurons that mediate our own, providing a conduit for understanding. However, this theory has limitations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Department of Neonatology/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Heraklion, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Preterm births constitute a major public health issue and a chronic, cross-generational condition globally. Psychological and biological factors interact in a way that women from low socio-economic status (SES) are disproportionally affected by preterm delivery and at increased risk for the development of perinatal mental health problems. Low SES constitutes one of the most evident contributors to poor neurodevelopment of preterm infants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
Background: Motor imagery is the mental representation of a movement without physical execution. When motor imagery is performed to enhance motor learning and performance, participants must reach a temporal congruence between the imagined and actual movement execution. Identifying factors that can influence this capacity could enhance the effectiveness of motor imagery programs.
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