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Cited by 172Primate Behavior and EcologyLanguage and cultural evolutionHemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience

A quantitative morphometric comparative analysis of the primate temporal lobe

Rilling, James K., Seligman, Rebecca A.·2002·Journal of Human Evolution
DOI 10.1006/jhev.2001.0537
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Abstract

Given their importance in language comprehension, the human temporal lobes and/or some of their component structures might be expected to be larger than allometric predictions for a nonhuman anthropoid brain of human size. Whole brain, T1-weighted MRI scans were collected from 44 living anthropoid primates spanning 11 species. Easyvision software (Philips Medical Systems, The Netherlands) was used to measure the volume of the entire brain, the temporal lobes, the superior temporal gyri, and the temporal lobe white matter. The surface areas of both the entire temporal lobe and the superior temporal gyrus were also measured, as was temporal cortical gyrification. Allometric regressions of temporal lobe structures on brain volume consistently showed apes and monkeys to scale along different trajectories, with the monkeys typically lying at a higher elevation than the apes. Within the temporal lobe, overall volume, surface area, and white matter volume were significantly larger in humans than predicted by the ape regression lines. The largest departure from allometry in humans was for the temporal lobe white matter volume which, in addition to being significantly larger than predicted for brain size, was also significantly larger than predicted for temporal lobe volume. Among the nonhuman primate sample, Cebus have small temporal lobes for their brain size, and Macaca and Papio have large superior temporal gyri for their brain size. The observed departures from allometry might reflect neurobiological adaptations supporting species-specific communication in both humans and old world monkeys.

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  • There is stronger evidence for relative enlargement of temporal lobe structures than for frontal lobe specialization.

    “Interestingly, there is stronger evidence for relative enlargement of temporal lobe structures [64,65].”

    From Embodied cognitive evolution and the cerebellum (2012) · cites this paper as [64]

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Authors
Rilling, J. K., & Seligman, R. A.
Affiliations
Emory University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Human Evolution
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2002-05
Volume
42
Issue
5
Pages
505-533
ISSN
0047-2484 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1006/jhev.2001.0537
OpenAlex
W2011699110
Cited by
172
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 13
FWCI
7.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Human Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Leakey Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Center for Research Resources (RR-00 165, P51RR000165)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
Keywords
allometry, anthropoid primates, superior temporal gyrus, cortical gyrification, brain volume, surface area, human brain evolution, language evolution, Cebu, Macaca, baboons
MeSH terms
Anatomy, Comparative, Animals, Anthropology, Physical, Biometry, Humans, Language, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Primates, Species Specificity, Surface Properties, Temporal Lobe

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