Abstract
To investigate the differences in learning abilities between Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens based on the morphology of the brain, we constructed an integrated analytical system for (1) estimating Neanderthal’s brain based on the reconstructed skull, (2) identifying local regions that correspond to leaning abilities in modern humans, (3) comparing the estimated Neanderthal brain to the averaged modern human brain based on our functional MRI results and meta-analytical data, using a neuro-computational and functional neuroimaging framework. First, we introduce the strategy of analyzing functional neuroimaging data, especially spatial normalization. Second, we describe the brain functions essential for learning ability in modern humans. We assume that formation of an innovative society is strongly correlated with the two components of cognitive ability; ‘intrinsic drive (internal motivation and perspective) to produce creative activity’ and ‘social brain’. Here, an example of our functional MRI research regarding the social brain is presented. Finally, we provide a brief summary of our integrated scheme.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ashburner J (2007) A first diffeomorphic image registration algorithm. Neuroimage 38:95–113
Ashburner J, Friston KJ (2003) Spatial normalization using basis functions. In: Frackowiak RSJ, Friston KJ, Frith CD, Dolan RJ, Price CJ, Zeki S, Ashburner JT, Penny WD (eds) Human brain function, 2nd edn. Academic, Waltham
Brothers L (1990) The social brain: A project for integrating primate behaviour and neurophysiology in a new domain. Concepts Neurosci 1:27–251
Friston KJ (1997) Analyzing brain images: principles and overview. In: Frackowiak RSJ, Friston KJ, Frith CD, Dolan RJ, Mazziotta JC (eds) Human brain function, 1st edn. Academic, Waltham
Friston KJ, Ashburner JT, Kiebel SJ, Nichols TE, Penny WD (2007) Statistical parametric mapping. Academic, London
Huttel S, Song AW, McCarthy G (2009) Functional magnetic resonance imaging, 2nd edn. Sinauer Associates, Wlatham
Kwong KK, Bellibeau JW, Chesler DA, Goldberg IE, Weisskoff RM, Poncelet BP, Kennedy DN, Hoppel BE, Cohen MS, Turner R (1992) Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging of human brain activity during primary sensory stimulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 89:5675–5679
Ogawa S, Lee TM, Kay AR, Tak DW (1990) Brain magnetic resonance imaging with contrast dependent on blood oxygenation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 87:9868–9872
Saito DN, Tanabe HC, Izuma K, Hayashi MJ, Morito Y, Komeda H, Uchiyama H, Kosaka H, Okazawa H, Fujibayashi Y, Sadato N (2010) “Stay tuned”: Inter-individual neural synchronization during mutual gaze and joint attention. Front Integ Neurosci 4:127
Talairach J, Tournoux P (1988) Co-planar stereotaxic atlas of the human brain. Thieme Medical Publishers, New York
Tanabe HC, Kosaka H, Saito DN, Koike T, Hayashi MJ, Izuma K, Komeda H, Ishitobi M, Omori M, Munesue T, Okazawa H, Wada Y, Sadato N (2012) Hard to “tune in”: Neural mechanisms of live face-to-face interaction with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 6:268
Tomasello M (1999) The cultural origins of human cognition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge
Tomasello M, Kruger AC, Ratner HH (1993) Cultural learning. BehavBrain Sci 16:495–552
Warger TD, Lindquist M, Kaplan L (2007) Meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging data: current and future directions. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2:150–158
Yarkoni T, Poldrack RA, Nichols TE, van Essen DC, Wager TD (2011) Large-scale automated synthesis of human functional neuroimaging data. Nat Methods 8:665–670
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Grand No. 22101007) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan (MEXT).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Japan
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tanabe, H.C., Kochiyama, T., Ogihara, N., Sadato, N. (2014). Integrated Analytical Scheme for Comparing the Neanderthal Brain to Modern Human Brain Using Neuroimaging Techniques. In: Akazawa, T., Ogihara, N., C Tanabe, H., Terashima, H. (eds) Dynamics of Learning in Neanderthals and Modern Humans Volume 2. Replacement of Neanderthals by Modern Humans Series. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54553-8_23
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54553-8_23
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo
Print ISBN: 978-4-431-54552-1
Online ISBN: 978-4-431-54553-8
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawSocial Sciences (R0)