What makes us humans? Our brain.
Originally shared by Manuela Casasoli
What makes us humans? Our brain.
A comprehensive review by Sousa and coworkers summarizes the current knowledge on the evolution of the human nervous system.
Although humans share most of their genetic, molecular, and cellular features with other non-human primates (NHPs), there are compelling differences in cognitive and behavioral capacities between humans and NHPs. Syntactical-grammatical language, symbolic thought, self-reflection, long-term planning ability, autobiographical memory, the theory of mind, and the capacity to create art are among the most distinctively human aspects of cognition and behavior.
Humans have larger brain than NHPs, a higher number of cortical neurons, specialized neuronal connections (a unique connectome), their brain develops more slowly than the brains of other primates. It takes over two decades to build a fully mature human brain, a period of time greater than the entire lifespan of some NHPs. In addition, scientists are just at the beginning in understanding data on molecular and genetic differences among extant primates.
The review:
http://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(17)30755-9
The pdf file:
http://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(17)30755-9.pdf
What makes us humans? Our brain.
A comprehensive review by Sousa and coworkers summarizes the current knowledge on the evolution of the human nervous system.
Although humans share most of their genetic, molecular, and cellular features with other non-human primates (NHPs), there are compelling differences in cognitive and behavioral capacities between humans and NHPs. Syntactical-grammatical language, symbolic thought, self-reflection, long-term planning ability, autobiographical memory, the theory of mind, and the capacity to create art are among the most distinctively human aspects of cognition and behavior.
Humans have larger brain than NHPs, a higher number of cortical neurons, specialized neuronal connections (a unique connectome), their brain develops more slowly than the brains of other primates. It takes over two decades to build a fully mature human brain, a period of time greater than the entire lifespan of some NHPs. In addition, scientists are just at the beginning in understanding data on molecular and genetic differences among extant primates.
The review:
http://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(17)30755-9
The pdf file:
http://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(17)30755-9.pdf
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