Genetic links between brain development and brain evolution.

Gilbert SL; Dobyns WB; Lahn BT

doi:10.1038/nrg1634

Abstract

The most defining biological attribute of Homo sapiens is its enormous brain size and accompanying cognitive prowess. How this was achieved by means of genetic changes over the course of human evolution has fascinated biologists and the general public alike. Recent studies have shown that genes controlling brain development - notably those implicated in microcephaly (a congenital defect that is characterized by severely reduced brain size) - are favoured targets of natural selection during human evolution. We propose that genes that regulate brain size during development, such as microcephaly genes, are chief contributors in driving the evolutionary enlargement of the human brain. Based on the synthesis of recent studies, we propose a general methodological template for the genetic analysis of human evolution.

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References

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Search life-sciences literature (45,104,206 articles, preprints and more)

Genetic links between brain development and brain evolution.

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Abstract

Full text links

References

Jerison, J. H. Evolution of the Brain and Intelligence (Academic Press, New York, 1973).

Spuhler, J. N. The Evolution of Man's Capacity for Culture (Wayne State Univ. Press, Detroit, 1959).

Sequencing the chimpanzee genome: insights into human evolution and disease.

Genetics and the making of Homo sapiens.

Noback, C. R. & Montagna, W. The Primate Brain (Meredith Corporation, New York, 1970).

Armstrong, E. & Falk, D. Primate Brain Evolution: Methods and Concepts (Plenum, New York, 1982).

Matsuzawa, T. Primate Origins of Human Cognition and Behavior (Springer, Tokyo, 2001).

Trichromatic colour vision in New World monkeys.

Molecular evolution of FOXP2, a gene involved in speech and language.

Adaptive evolution of MRG, a neuron-specific gene family implicated in nociception.

Citations & impact

Impact metrics

Citations of article over time

Alternative metrics

Article citations

High-resolution diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and spatial-transcriptomic in developing mouse brain.

The conserved RNA-binding protein Imp is required for the specification and function of olfactory navigation circuitry in Drosophila.

Genetic Primary Microcephalies: When Centrosome Dysfunction Dictates Brain and Body Size.

Monoallelic CRMP1 gene variants cause neurodevelopmental disorder.

The ABCD Study: Brain Heterogeneity in Intelligence During a Neurodevelopmental Transition Stage.

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Search life-sciences literature (45,104,206 articles, preprints and more)

Genetic links between brain development and brain evolution.

Author information

Affiliations

Authors

ORCIDs linked to this article

Abstract

Full text links

References

Jerison, J. H. Evolution of the Brain and Intelligence (Academic Press, New York, 1973).

Spuhler, J. N. The Evolution of Man's Capacity for Culture (Wayne State Univ. Press, Detroit, 1959).

Noback, C. R. & Montagna, W. The Primate Brain (Meredith Corporation, New York, 1970).

Armstrong, E. & Falk, D. Primate Brain Evolution: Methods and Concepts (Plenum, New York, 1982).

Matsuzawa, T. Primate Origins of Human Cognition and Behavior (Springer, Tokyo, 2001).

Citations & impact

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Article citations

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