Brain organization of gorillas reflects species differences in ecology

Datos Bibliográficos

ID8312231
AutoresSarah K Barks (Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology The George Washington University Washington DC 20052, autor de correspondencia), Michael E Calhoun (0000-0003-4323-4053, Sinq Systems, Silver Spring MD 20910), William D Hopkins (0000-0001-9529-8214, Neuroscience Institute Georgia State University Atlanta GA 30303), Michael R Cranfield (Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, School of Veterinary Medicine University of California Davis Davis CA 95616), Antoine Mudakikwa (Rwanda Development Board), Tara S Stoinski (0000-0002-8287-1621, The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Atlanta GA 30315), Francine Patterson, Francine G Patterson (The Gorilla Foundation Woodside CA 94062), Joseph M Erwin (Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology The George Washington University Washington DC 20052), Joseph Erwin (George Washington University), Erin E Hecht (0000-0003-1247-0432, Department of Psychology and Center for Behavioral Neuroscience Georgia State University Atlanta GA 30303), Patrick R Hof (0000-0002-3208-1154, Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York NY 10029), Chet C Sherwood (0000-0001-6711-449X, Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology The George Washington University Washington DC 20052)
Año2015
Volumen156
Número2
Páginas252-262
Fecha de publicación2015-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.22646
PMID25360547
PMCIDPMC4314362
OpenAlexW1803904515
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas52

Gorillas include separate eastern ( Gorilla beringei ) and western ( Gorilla gorilla ) African species that diverged from each other approximately 2 million years ago. Although anatomical, genetic, behavioral, and socioecological differences have been noted among gorilla populations, little is known about variation in their brain structure. This study examines neuroanatomical variation between gorilla species using structural neuroimaging. Postmortem magnetic resonance images were obtained of brains from 18 captive western lowland gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ), 15 wild mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei ), and 3 Grauer's gorillas ( Gorilla beringei graueri ) (both wild and captive). Stereologic methods were used to measure volumes of brain structures, including left and right frontal lobe gray and white matter, temporal lobe gray and white matter, parietal and occipital lobes gray and white matter, insular gray matter, hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, each hemisphere and the vermis of the cerebellum, and the external and extreme capsules together with the claustrum. Among the species differences, the volumes of the hippocampus and cerebellum were significantly larger in G. gorilla than G. beringei . These anatomical differences may relate to divergent ecological adaptations of the two species. Specifically, G. gorilla engages in more arboreal locomotion and thus may rely more on cerebellar circuits. In addition, they tend to eat more fruit and have larger home ranges and consequently might depend more on spatial mapping functions of the hippocampus. Am J Phys Anthropol 156:252–262, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Arboreal locomotion · Biology · Brain size · Gorilla · Habitat · Hominidae · Magnetic resonance imaging · Primate · White matter · Zoology · Ecology · Memory and Neural Mechanisms · Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms · Primate Behavior and Ecology