Brain Traits through Phylogeny: Evolution of Neural Characters

Johnson, John Irwin; Kirsch, John A. W.; Switzer, Robert C.

doi:10.1159/000121314

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Similar, convergent changes in function, along with their neuroanatomical correlates, are observed in several brains of unrelated clades, such as many bats and primates (Johnson et al, 1984(Johnson et al, , 1994. In general, the cetacean brain possesses some common mammalian features in combination with specialized and highly unusual features, the function of which we have barely begun to understand.…”

Section: Evolutionary Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Anatomy and three‐dimensional reconstructions of the brain of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from magnetic resonance images

et al. 2001

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Cetacean (dolphin, whale, and porpoise) brains are among the least studied mammalian brains because of the formidability of collecting and histologically preparing such relatively rare and large specimens. Magnetic resonance imaging offers a means of observing the internal structure of the brain when traditional histological procedures are not practical. Furthermore, internal structures can be analyzed in their precise anatomic positions, which is difficult to accomplish after the spatial distortions often accompanying histological processing. In this study, images of the brain of an adult bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, were scanned in the coronal plane at 148 antero-posterior levels. From these scans a computer-generated three-dimensional model was constructed using the programs VoxelView and VoxelMath (Vital Images, Inc.). This model, wherein details of internal and external morphology are represented in three-dimensional space, was then resectioned in orthogonal planes to produce corresponding series of virtual sections in the horizontal and sagittal planes. Sections in all three planes display the sizes and positions of major neuroanatomical features such as the arrangement of cortical lobes and subcortical structures such as the inferior and superior colliculi, and demonstrate the utility of MRI for neuroanatomical investigations of dolphin brains. Anat Rec 264: [397][398][399][400][401][402][403][404][405][406][407][408][409][410][411][412][413][414] 2001.

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Section: Evolutionary Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Anatomy and three‐dimensional reconstructions of the brain of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from magnetic resonance images

et al. 2001

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“…Their brains had many primitive features (see Quiroga, 1980;Kielan-Jaworowska, 1986), including small relative size and the absence of a corpus callosum. Additional features considered primitive to the last common ancestor of eutherians and marsupials were summarized by Miitler (1967, 1968a-c, 1969a-c, 1972a-c, 1973), Lillegraven ( 1969), Marshall ( 1979), Johnson, Kirsch & Switzer ( 1984), and Tyndale-Biscoe & Renfree ( 1987).…”

Section: Biological Nature Of the Last Common Ancestormentioning

confidence: 99%

The origin of eutherian mammals

Lillegraven

Thompson

McNab

et al. 1987

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

112

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Palaeontologically recognizable eutherians originated no later than the Early Cretaceous in warm, probably moderately seasonal climates. Immediate ancestors were small, sharing many anatomical, physiological and reproductive features with small modern marsupials. Development of characteristically eutherian features involved interactions of body size, rates of metabolism, energetic costs of reproduction, anatomical/physiological processes of development and effects of each upon rates of population growth. In contrast to eutherians, marsupials have a narrow range of basal metabolic rates (lacking high rates), and show no direct links between rate of energy expenditure and gestation period, postnatal growth rate, fecundity or reproductive potential. Biological implications of this contrast are most pronounced at small body sizes. When resources are abundant, the relatively higher growth rates and earlier maturation of small eutherians (particularly those with high rates of metabolism) can lead to rapid population growth; among most marsupials, however, both pre-and postnatal constraints apparently preclude attainment of such high rates of reproduction. Also, only eutherians among the amniotes combine intimacy of placentation with prolonged active intra-uterine morphogenesis. Once established, that 28 1 002&4066/87/110281+56 $03.00/0 0 1987 The Linnean Society of Lond 282 J. A. LILLEGRAlJEN E l AL.(,ombination permitted (and even favoured) increases in diversity of adaptation in such disparate asperts as elevated metabolic rate, increased pre-and postnatal growth rates, increased cnccphalization, greater longevity, increased gregariousness, greater karyotypic flexibility, and augmented variability in adult morphology. However, all such boosts in diversity were probably secondary and dependent upon prior innovation of trophoblastic/uterine wall immunological protection of foetal tissues during prolonged intra-uterine development. Increased metabolic rates followrd thrreafter, with synergisms that may have speeded evolution among early eutherians. Eutherian-style trophoblast probably originated in the Mesozoic. Dependent adaptations, variably expressed, evolved later in sundry descendant lineages. Reproductivc differences between marsupials and eutherians are not biologically trivial; to the contrary, breakthroughs among eutherians assured their dominance: (1) in high intensity food habits; (2) at small body masses: and (3) in very cold climates.

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“…A complete view of mammalian brain evolution requires information from a wide diversity of species encompassing key branching points in the phylogenetic tree (Bullock 1984;Johnson et al 1984;Kaas 2006). According to molecular genetic studies, the living eutherian (placental) mammals are divided into four major groups including Afrotheria, Xenarthra, Euarchontoglires, and Laurasiatheria (Murphy et al 2007;Wildman et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neocortical neuron types in Xenarthra and Afrotheria: implications for brain evolution in mammals

et al. 2008

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Interpreting the evolution of neuronal types in the cerebral cortex of mammals requires information from a diversity of species. However, there is currently a paucity of data from the Xenarthra and Afrotheria, two major phylogenetic groups that diverged close to the base of the eutherian mammal adaptive radiation. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry to examine the distribution and morphology of neocortical neurons stained for nonphosphorylated neurofilament protein, calbindin, calretinin, parvalbumin, and neuropeptide Y in three xenarthran species-the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), the lesser anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla), and the two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)-and two afrotherian species-the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) and the black and rufous giant elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon petersi). We also studied the distribution and morphology of astrocytes using glial fibrillary acidic protein as a marker. In all of these species, nonphosphorylated neurofilament protein-immunoreactive neurons predominated in layer V. These neurons exhibited diverse morphologies with regional variation. Specifically, high proportions of atypical neurofilament-enriched neuron classes were observed, including extraverted neurons, inverted pyramidal neurons, fusiform neurons, and other multipolar types. In addition, many projection neurons in layers II-III were found to contain calbindin. Among interneurons, parvalbumin- and calbindin-expressing cells were generally denser compared to calretinin-immunoreactive cells. We traced the evolution of certain cortical architectural traits using phylogenetic analysis. Based on our reconstruction of character evolution, we found that the living xenarthrans and afrotherians show many similarities to the stem eutherian mammal, whereas other eutherian lineages display a greater number of derived traits.

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Brain Traits through Phylogeny: Evolution of Neural Characters

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Anatomy and three‐dimensional reconstructions of the brain of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from magnetic resonance images

Anatomy and three‐dimensional reconstructions of the brain of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from magnetic resonance images

The origin of eutherian mammals

Neocortical neuron types in Xenarthra and Afrotheria: implications for brain evolution in mammals

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