A trade-off between cognitive and physical performance, with relative preservation of brain function

Longman, Daniel P.; Stock, Jay T.; Wells, Jonathan C. K.

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-14186-2

Cited by 25 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 74 publications

(65 reference statements)

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“…An experimental design applied to a sporting contest was employed to investigate the hypothesis of a trade‐off involving the brain at the acute, rather than the evolutionary or developmental, level. Simultaneous challenge of both cognitive and physical functions resulted in relative preservation of cognitive function over physical power output (Longman, Stock, & Wells, ), lending support to the selfish brain hypothesis (Peters et al, ) and highlighting the metabolically privileged niche occupied by the human brain. This metabolic hierarchy may be an evolved trait, as the chances of survival may be boosted more by a well‐fuelled brain than well‐fuelled muscles when facing an environmental challenge (Beedie & Lane, ).…”

Section: Ultra‐endurance Sport As a Model To Study Human Life Historymentioning

confidence: 87%

Human athletic paleobiology; using sport as a model to investigate human evolutionary adaptation

Longman

Wells²,

Stock

2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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The use of sport as a conceptual framework offers unprecedented opportunities to improve our understanding of what the body does, shedding new light on our evolutionary trajectory, our capacity for adaptation, and the underlying biological mechanisms. This approach has gained traction over recent years. To date, sport has facilitated exploration not only of the evolutionary history of our species as a whole, but also of human variation and adaptation at the interindividual and intraindividual levels. At the species level, analysis of lower and upper limb biomechanics and energetics with respect to walking, running and throwing have led to significant advances in the understanding of human adaptations relative to other hominins. From an interindividual perspective, investigation of physical activity patterns and endurance running performance is affording greater understanding of evolved constraints of energy expenditure, thermoregulatory energetics, signaling theory, and morphological variation. Furthermore, ultra-endurance challenges provoke functional trade-offs, allowing new ground to be broken in the study of life history trade-offs and human adaptability. Human athletic paleobiology-the recruitment of athletes as study participants and the use of contemporary sports as a model for studying evolutionary theory-has great potential. Here, we draw from examples in the literature to provide a review of how the use of athletes as a model system is enhancing understanding of human evolutionary adaptation. K E Y W O R D S adaptation, human athletic paleobiology, human evolution, plasticity, sport 1 | INTRODUCTION The fossil record provides evidence about the form and physical characteristics of the human or hominin body, and their changes over time. However, a central challenge of hominin paleobiology is the interpretation of the body's function from its form; how do we walk, run, use tools, and move within the landscape, and how did these functions themselves evolve? Stemming from this, what is the nature of the physiological mechanisms that underpin observed variation in form and function? The use of sport as a conceptual framework offers unprecedented opportunities to improve our understanding of what the body does, shedding new light on our evolutionary trajectory, our capacity for adaptation, and the underlying biological mechanisms.There has been increasing interest in the model system provided by athletes to enhance our understanding of human evolutionary theory. To date, studies of athletes have facilitated exploration of three key levels of variation and adaptation within the field of human evolution ( Figure 1).

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Section: Ultra‐endurance Sport As a Model To Study Human Life Historymentioning

confidence: 87%

Human athletic paleobiology; using sport as a model to investigate human evolutionary adaptation

Longman

Wells²,

Stock

2020

American J Phys Anthropol

Self Cite

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“…The current study The current study sought to utilise multi-day ultra-marathons in hot and cold environments to investigate whether the morphologies predicted by Bergmann's and Allen's rules confer a functional benefit in thermally challenging environments. This investigation stems from a wider research theme using contemporary sports as a tool to examine evolutionary theory (Longman et al 2015(Longman et al , 2017a(Longman et al , 2018.…”

Section: Physical Activity Thermoregulation and Morphological Adaptamentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultra-endurance athletic performance suggests that energetics drive human morphological thermal adaptation

et al. 2019

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Both extinct and extant hominin populations display morphological features consistent with Bergmann's and Allen's Rules. However, the functional implications of the morphologies described by these ecological laws are poorly understood. We examined this through the lens of endurance running. Previous research concerning endurance running has focused on locomotor energetic economy. We considered a less-studied dimension of functionality, thermoregulation. The performance of male ultra-marathon runners (n = 88) competing in hot and cold environments was analysed with reference to expected thermoregulatory energy costs and the optimal morphologies predicted by Bergmann's and Allen's Rules. Ecogeographical patterning supporting both principles was observed in thermally challenging environments. Finishers of hot-condition events had significantly longer legs than finishers of cold-condition events. Furthermore, hot-condition finishers had significantly longer legs than those failing to complete hot-condition events. A degree of niche-picking was evident; athletes may have tailored their event entry choices in accordance with their previous race experiences. We propose that the interaction between prolonged physical exertion and hot or cold climates may induce powerful selective pressures driving morphological adaptation. The resulting phenotypes reduce thermoregulatory energetic expenditure, allowing diversion of energy to other functional outcomes such as faster running.

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“…() demonstrated energetic trade‐offs between brain and body development by showing that a reduced rate of body growth accompanied the highest rates of brain development in children. Another recent study (Longman, Stock & Wells, ) demonstrated acute energetic trade‐offs between mental performance and physical performance in male athletes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Cognitive costs of reproduction: life‐history trade‐offs explain cognitive decline during pregnancy in women

2018

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Life-history theory predicts that access to limited resources leads to trade-offs between competing body functions. Women, who face higher costs of reproduction when compared to men, should be especially vulnerable to these trade-offs. We propose the 'cognitive costs of reproduction hypothesis', which states that energy trade-offs imposed by reproduction may lead to a decline in maternal cognitive function during gestation. In particular, we hypothesize that the decline in cognitive function frequently observed during pregnancy is associated with the allocation of resources between the competing energetic requirements of the mother's brain and the developing foetus. Several distinctive anatomical and physiological features including a high metabolic rate of the brain, large infant size, specific anatomical features of the placenta and trophoblast, and the lack of maternal control over glucose flow through the placenta make the occurrence of these trade-offs likely.Herein, we review several lines of evidence for trade-offs between gestation and cognition that are related to: (i) energy metabolism during reproduction; (ii) energy metabolism of the human brain; (iii) links between energy metabolism and cognitive function; and (iv) links between gestation and cognitive function. We also review evidence for the important roles of cortisol, corticotropin-releasing hormone and sex hormones in mediating the effects of gestation on cognition, and we discuss possible neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the observed effects. The evidence supports the view that energy trade-offs between foetal growth and maternal endocrine and brain function lead to changes in maternal cognition, and that this phenomenon is mediated by neuroendocrine mechanisms involving the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus and hippocampus.

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A trade-off between cognitive and physical performance, with relative preservation of brain function

Cited by 25 publications

References 74 publications

Human athletic paleobiology; using sport as a model to investigate human evolutionary adaptation

Human athletic paleobiology; using sport as a model to investigate human evolutionary adaptation

Ultra-endurance athletic performance suggests that energetics drive human morphological thermal adaptation

Cognitive costs of reproduction: life‐history trade‐offs explain cognitive decline during pregnancy in women

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