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Cited by 178Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesPrimate Behavior and EcologyNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Book Review: Two Phylogenetic Specializations in the Human Brain

Allman, John, Hakeem, Atiya, Watson, Karli·2002·The Neuroscientist
DOI 10.1177/107385840200800409
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Abstract

In this study, two anatomical specializations of the brain in apes and humans are considered. One of these is a whole cortical area located in the frontal polar cortex (Brodmann’s area 10), and the other is a morphologically distinctive cell type, the spindle neuron of the anterior cingulate cortex. The authors suggest that the spindle cells may relay to other parts of the brain—especially to area 10, the outcome of processing within the anterior cingulate cortex. This relay conveys the motivation to act. It particularly concerns the recognition of having committed an error that leads to the initiation of adaptive responses to these adverse events so as to reduce error commission. This capacity is related to the development of self-control as an individual matures and gains social insight. Although the anterior cingulate deals with the individual’s immediate response to changing conditions, area 10 is involved in the retrieval of memories from the individual’s past experience and the capacity to plan adaptive responses. The authors suggest that these neurobehavioral specializations are crucial aspects of intelligence as defined as the capacity to make adaptive responses to changing conditions. The authors further hypothesize that these specializations facilitated the evolution of the unique capacity for the intergenerational transfer of the food and information characteristic of human extended families.

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Crossref · 10.1177/107385840200800409

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54 of 54 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • In mammals, the inferior temporal cortex, along with parts of the STG, posterior parietal cortex, and prefrontal cortex, are high-order association areas, which are also most recent evolutionarily.

    “In mammals, the inferior temporal cortex, along with parts of the STG, posterior parietal cortex, and prefrontal cortex, are high-order association areas, which are also most recent evolutionarily (38, 39).”

    From Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood (2004) · cites this paper as [38]

  • Von Economo neurons are consistently affected in ASD and are present almost exclusively in the frontoinsular and anterior cingulate cortices.

    “a particular population of distinct neurons, the von Economo neurons (VENs), present almost exclusively in the frontoinsular (FI) and anterior cingulate cortices (ACC) have been found to be consistently affected in ASD [4, 104, 256, 258].”

    From Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models (2017) · cites this paper as [4]

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Authors
Allman, J., Hakeem, A., & Watson, K.
Affiliations
California Institute of Technology (US)
Corresponding author
Allman, John
ORCID
Watson, Karli
Venue
The Neuroscientist
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2002-08
Volume
8
Issue
4
Pages
335-346
ISSN
  • 1073-8584 (ISSN-L)
  • 1089-4098
DOI
10.1177/107385840200800409
OpenAlex
W2067723253
Cited by
178
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 12
Type
book review
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • The Neuroscientist (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
human brain evolution, Brodmann area 10, anterior cingulate cortex, error detection, self-control, adaptive behavior, memory retrieval, planning, intelligence, intergenerational knowledge transmission, apes
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Animals, Frontal Lobe, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Intelligence, Motivation, Neural Pathways, Neurons, Phylogeny

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