Brain Evolution
Modern neuroscientific research has begun to reveal the evolutionary specializations of primate brains. The evolution of ancestral primate brain organization, as reconstructed from comparative data, involved not only brain enlargement but also profound changes in internal brain organization, including the addition of new cortical areas, modifications of old areas, and the evolution of new cortical systems. These structures and systems were modified further in anthropoid evolution. Evolutionary specializations of primates and primate subgroups have been identified at every level of brain structure and involve virtually every functional domain, including sensory, motor, limbic, and higher-order regions. Some of the most prominent changes involve the visual system and changes in higher-order transcortical networks involving the prefrontal, parietal, and temporal association regions. These modern findings challenge traditional ideas about the continuity of neural and mental organization across species.
