Analysis of mammalian brain architecture

Nature. 2002 Jan 10;415(6868):133-4. doi: 10.1038/415133b.

Abstract

The mammalian brain is composed of several distinct parts which show different growth in evolution. Clark, Mitra and Wang 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., 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.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Body Weights and Measures
  • Brain / anatomy & histology*
  • Cerebellum / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Humans
  • Mammals
  • Models, Neurological
  • Neocortex / anatomy & histology
  • Primates / anatomy & histology
  • Surface Properties