Primate mosaic brain evolution reflects selection on sensory and cognitive specialization
Primate mosaic brain evolution reflects selection on sensory and cognitive specialization
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DOI：
10.1038/s41559-019-0969-0
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发表时间：
2019-10-01
影响因子：
16.8
通讯作者：
Higham, James P.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
DeCasien, Alex R.;Higham, James P.
哺乳动物的大脑由许多功能不同的结构组成，这些结构在进化枝内部和进化枝之间的大小各不相同，反映了对感觉和认知专业化的选择。灵长类动物是研究马赛克大脑进化的一个特别有趣的例子，因为它们表现出明显的行为变异，跨越了在哺乳动物中观察到的大多数社会结构、饮食和活动周期。尽管研究一致证明灵长类动物的视觉和嗅觉特化之间存在权衡，但对某些区域（例如新皮质）的研究却产生了相互矛盾的结果。在这里，我们使用更新的统计技术以及来自比之前研究更多物种和个体的数据，分析了影响 33 个大脑区域相对大小的社会生态因素。我们的研究结果证实，群居物种和具有高质量饮食的物种具有扩大的嗅觉或视觉系统，这取决于它们是夜间活动还是白天活动。相反，在独居物种和低质量饮食的物种中，与空间记忆相关的区域会扩大，这表明视觉处理和空间记忆之间存在权衡。与之前的研究相反，我们发现饮食质量对新皮质相对大小的预测至少与社会复杂性一样（如果不是更好的话）。总的来说，我们的结果表明，灵长类动物的大脑结构很大程度上是由对不同社会生态位的反应而发展的感觉和认知专业化的选择驱动的。
The mammalian brain is composed of numerous functionally distinct structures that vary in size within and between clades, reflecting selection for sensory and cognitive specialization. Primates represent a particularly interesting case in which to examine mosaic brain evolution since they exhibit marked behavioural variation, spanning most social structures, diets and activity periods observed across mammals. Although studies have consistently demonstrated a trade-off between visual and olfactory specialization in primates, studies of some regions (for example, the neocortex) have produced conflicting results. Here, we analyse the socioecological factors influencing the relative size of 33 brain regions, using updated statistical techniques and data from more species and individuals than previous studies. Our results confirm that group-living species and those with high-quality diets have expanded olfactory or visual systems, depending on whether they are nocturnal or diurnal. Conversely, regions associated with spatial memory are expanded in solitary species and those with low-quality diets, suggesting a trade-off between visual processing and spatial memory. Contrary to previous work, we show that diet quality predicts relative neocortex size at least as well as, if not better than, social complexity. Overall, our results demonstrate that primate brain structure is largely driven by selection on sensory and cognitive specializations that develop in response to divergent socioecological niches.