title: Behavioral and brain asymmetries in primates: a preliminary evaluation of two evolutionary hypotheses.
abstract: Contrary to many historical views, recent evidence suggests that species-level behavioral and brain asymmetries are evident in nonhuman species. Here, we briefly present evidence of behavioral, perceptual, cognitive, functional, and neuroanatomical asymmetries in nonhuman primates. In addition, we describe two historical accounts of the evolutionary origins of hemispheric specialization and present data from nonhuman primates that address these specific theories. Specifically, we first discuss the evidence that genes play specific roles in determining left-right differences in anatomical and functional asymmetries in primates. We next consider and present data on the hypothesis that hemispheric specialization evolved as a by-product of increasing brain size relative to the surface area of the corpus callosum in different primate species. Last, we discuss some of the challenges in the study of hemispheric specialization in primates and offer some suggestions on how to advance the field.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.|Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misiura
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Elitaveta M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Latash
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011323:Primates; D013045:Species Specificity
keywords: brain asymmetry; corpus callosum; handedness; hemispheric specialization; primates