Neuroscientists at Radboud University have new insights into how our brains evolved into “ready brains.”
To study the differences between the human brain andchimpanzee researchers used scans of 50 human brains and 29 chimpanzee brains. Using these images, they examined the connection between two language-related brain centers, comparing them between different species. “Damage to these areas of the brain is known to negatively impact language function. However, until now, the question of whether their connection structure is unique to humans remained unanswered,” – says study co-author Joanna Sierpowska.
Researchers have found that if chimpanzeesthe connection of the posterior middle temporal regions is limited mainly to the temporal lobe, then the person has a new connection with the frontal and parietal lobes. In fact, changes in both human language areas involve a set of expansions of connections in the temporal lobes. “The results of our study suggest that the arcuate fasciculus is certainly not the sole driving force behind the evolutionary changes that prepare the brain for full-fledged language ability,” – says study co-author Vitoria Piai.
"The fact that this wiring diagram is sounique to us humans suggests that it may be a critical aspect of brain organization that mediates our distinctive language abilities.", – says Piai.