Overall brain size, and not encephalization quotient, best predicts cognitive ability across non-human primates
Overall brain size, and not encephalization quotient, best predicts cognitive ability across non-human primates
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DOI：
10.1159/000102973
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发表时间：
2007-01-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
van Schaik, Carel
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Deaner, Robert O.;Isler, Karin;van Schaik, Carel
一个多世纪以来，在比较研究中，各种神经解剖学测量方法被用作认知能力的测定方法。然而，目前尚不清楚这些测量是否真的与认知能力相对应。最近对一组灵长类动物的认知能力进行的荟萃分析使得对灵长类动物的一般认知能力进行定量估计成为可能。我们发现这一估计与神经解剖学测量没有很强的相关性，这些测量在统计上控制了身体大小的可能影响，如脑化商或脑大小残差。相反，绝对脑尺寸测量是灵长类动物认知能力的最佳预测指标。此外，没有迹象表明基于新皮层的测量优于基于全脑的测量。在回顾以前关于智力进化的比较研究的结果时，必须牢记这一结论。版权所有(c) 2007 S. Karger AG，巴塞尔
For over a century, various neuroanatomical measures have been employed as assays of cognitive ability in comparative studies. Nevertheless, it is still unclear whether these measures actually correspond to cognitive ability. A recent meta-analysis of cognitive performance of a broad set of primate species has made it possible to provide a quantitative estimate of general cognitive ability across primates. We find that this estimate is not strongly correlated with neuroanatomical measures that statistically control for a possible effect of body size, such as encephalization quotient or brain size residuals. Instead, absolute brain size measures were the best predictors of primate cognitive ability. Moreover, there was no indication that neocortex-based measures were superior to measures based on the whole brain. The results of previous comparative studies on the evolution of intelligence must be reviewed with this conclusion in mind. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel