Chemoarchitectonic Indicators of Functional Asymmetries in Human Brain Language Area Homologs.

这一新方法将描述人类大脑语言区域同源基因在灵长类动物中的进化基础。目前流行的范式是基于这样一个前提，即大脑皮层的这些左半球侧化区域是人类独有的，在非人类灵长类动物的交流中并不活跃。这一支配原则在很大程度上是基于对人类认知和交流的单一性的严格概念。然而，令人信服的基于解剖学和脑化学的证据支持了另一种假设：这些偏侧化的区域，至少在类人型灵长类动物中，表现出长期的功能认同。这一新前提的有效性将通过使用尖端免疫细胞化学和体视学技术对选定的调制化学系统中的半球不对称性进行严格的定量分析来检验。有人认为，在这些神经化学系统中表现出的大脑半球间的不对称，将成为灵长类大脑语言区域中与交流相关的功能偏侧化的有力指标。尽管东半球猴子等非人类灵长类动物共享人类大脑语言区域的一些解剖成分，但这些特征的功能水平和进化史延伸到什么程度尚不清楚。这些引人注目的问题将在神经生物学和人类学的多学科框架内进行考虑，并结合人类、类人猿和东半球猴子的联合功能成像和分子生物学项目。发展一种深刻的非人类灵长类动物的意志交流/语言模型是一个关键的长期目标。

This new approach will characterize the evolutionary substrate of human brain language area homologues in primates. The prevailing current paradigm is based on the premise that these left-hemisphere-lateralized areas of the cerebral cortex are unique to humans and are not functionally active in non-human primate communication. This governing principle is based largely on a strict concept of the singular nature of human cognition and communication. However, compelling anatomic and brain-chemistry-based evidence has supported an alternate hypothesis: that these lateralized regions, in at least anthropoid primates, manifest a long-lived functional identity. The validity of this novel premise will be tested by rigorous quantitative analysis of hemispheric asymmetries in selected modulatory chemical systems via use of cutting-edge immunocytochemistry and stereology techniques. It is proposed that interhemispheric asymmetries, demonstrated within these neurochemical systems, will serve as powerful indicators of lateralized communication-related functions in primate brain language areas. Although non-human primates such as Old World monkeys share some anatomic components of human brain language areas it is unclear to what functional level and how far the evolutionary history of these features extends. These compelling questions are to be considered within a multidisciplinary framework of neurobiology and anthropology with integration of conjoint functional imaging and molecular biology projects in humans, great apes and Old World monkeys. Development of a profound non-human primate model of volitional communication/language is a key long-term goal.