A hierarchical model of the evolution of human brain specializations
A hierarchical model of the evolution of human brain specializations
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DOI：
10.1073/pnas.1201898109
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发表时间：
2012-06-26
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
Barrett, H. Clark
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Barrett, H. Clark
对大脑信息处理适应的研究存在争议，部分原因是对这种适应可能采取的形式存在争议。许多心理学家认为，适应性有两种：专门的和通用的。专门机制通常被认为是先天的，特定领域的，与其他大脑系统隔离，而一般机制是发育可塑性的，一般领域的，互动的。然而，如果大脑机制是通过带有修改的遗传过程进化的，那么它们很可能是异质的，而不仅仅是两种。它们可能是分层组织的，一些设计特征在大脑系统中广泛共享，另一些则针对特定的过程。此外，它们很可能在很大程度上是发育可塑性的，并与其他大脑系统互动，而不是渠道化和孤立的。本文提出了一个层次模型的大脑专业化，审查证据的模型从进化发育生物学，遗传学，脑图谱和比较研究。对人类独特特征的搜索的影响进行了讨论，沿着的方式，在心理学模块化的传统观点可能需要修改。
The study of information-processing adaptations in the brain is controversial, in part because of disputes about the form such adaptations might take. Many psychologists assume that adaptations come in two kinds, specialized and general-purpose. Specialized mechanisms are typically thought of as innate, domain-specific, and isolated from other brain systems, whereas generalized mechanisms are developmentally plastic, domain-general, and interactive. However, if brain mechanisms evolve through processes of descent with modification, they are likely to be heterogeneous, rather than coming in just two kinds. They are likely to be hierarchically organized, with some design features widely shared across brain systems and others specific to particular processes. Also, they are likely to be largely developmentally plastic and interactive with other brain systems, rather than canalized and isolated. This article presents a hierarchical model of brain specialization, reviewing evidence for the model from evolutionary developmental biology, genetics, brain mapping, and comparative studies. Implications for the search for uniquely human traits are discussed, along with ways in which conventional views of modularity in psychology may need to be revised.