Monkey homologues of language areas: computing the ambiguities.
The 'language-readiness' of human brains most probably resulted from modification of structures present in non-human primate brains, but identifying such homologues and the nature of their modifications has been highly problematic. In a recent article, Arbiband Bota suggest that these problems can be overcome using a neuroinformatics approach. But its assumptions ignore many non-local, activity-dependent, regressive, and allometric effects of neurodevelopment that violate assumptions of classic homology. What if these effects are what matter most?
Deacon
Terrence
T
Department of Anthropology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, USA. deacon@sscl.berkeley.edu <deacon@sscl.berkeley.edu>
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*