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Brain evolution (Communication arising)

Analysis of mammalian brain architecture

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Abstract

The mammalian brain is composed of several distinct parts which show different growth in evolution. Clark, Mitra and Wang1 found that the two main cortices of the brain — the cerebral (neo-) cortex and the cerebellum — show very different growth, and that whereas the ratio of neocortex volume to total brain volume increases with evolution, the cerebellum occupies a constant proportion in different species. Here I compare the surface areas of the two cortices in different species and find that these show a simple proportionality. Contrary to the conclusion drawn by Clark et al.1, this linear dependence of size implies that the two major cortices increase their computational capacity in parallel, suggesting a functional dependence of the one upon the other.

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Figure 1: Logarithmic plot of cerebellar11versus cerebral cortex area12.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cognitive Neurology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 15, Tübingen, 72076, Germany

    Fahad Sultan

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  1. Fahad Sultan
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Correspondence to Fahad Sultan.

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Sultan, F. Analysis of mammalian brain architecture. Nature 415, 133–134 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/415133b

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