Human Amygdala Volumetric Patterns Convergently Evolved in Cooperatively Breeding and Domesticated Species

Cerrito, Paola; Burkart, Judith M.

doi:10.1007/s12110-023-09461-3

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 37 publications

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“…Of all the regions analyzed, the one with the latest peak in volumetric decline and therefore prolonged plasticity is the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala. This nucleus is implicated in encoding emotional events with reference to their particular sensory-specific features (Balleine & Killcross, 2006) and has undergone convergent evolution in its volumetric patterns in cooperatively breeding species including marmosets and humans (Cerrito & Burkart, 2023). The slowest developing cortical area is 46D.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurodevelopmental timing and socio-cognitive development in a prosocial cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus)

Cerrito,

Gascon,

Roberts

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Primate, and especially human, brain development is experience-dependent: it is shaped by the inputs received during critical periods. During early development, these inputs systematically differ between independently and cooperatively breeding species, because in cooperative breeders infants are interacting from birth with multiple caretakers and have to thrive in a richer and more challenging social environment. Here, we study the neurodevelopmental timing of the cooperatively breeding common marmoset and how it maps onto behavioral and developmental milestones. To obtain meaningful correlations of structure-function co-constructions, we combine behavioral, imaging (anatomical and functional) and neural tracing experiments. We focus on brain areas that are critically involved when observing conspecifics interacting with others and find that (i) these areas develop in clusters; (ii) these areas reach their maximum gray matter volume shortly after peak provisioning, when immatures are intensely provisioned by group members; (iii) the differentiation of these areas coincides with the period of intense negotiation between immatures and multiple adults over food, the birth of the next set of siblings, and the task of becoming a helper. Moreover, like in humans, differentiation is not fully completed at the age of first reproduction. In sum, we find that the developmental timing of social brain areas coincides with key social and developmental milestones in marmosets, and extends into early adulthood. This rich social input is likely critical for the emergence of the particularly strong prosociality and socio-cognitive skills of marmosets. Since humans are cooperative breeders too, these findings have strong implications for the evolution of human social cognition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurodevelopmental timing and socio-cognitive development in a prosocial cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus)

Cerrito,

Gascon,

Roberts

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

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Domestication as the evolution of interspecies cooperative breeding

Mueller,

Willman

2024

Evolutionary Anthropology

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We propose that domestication is the result of interspecies cooperative breeding. Considering domestication as an outcome of cooperative breeding can explain how domestication occurs in both plants and animals, encompass cases of domestication that do not involve humans, and shed light on why humans are involved in so many domesticatory relationships. We review the cooperative breeding model of human evolution, which posits that care of human infants by alloparents enabled the evolution of costly human brains and long juvenile development, while selecting for tolerance of strangers. We then explore how human cooperation in the protection and provisioning of young plants and animals can explain the evolution of domestication traits such as changes in development; loss of aggressive, defensive, and bet‐hedging aspects of the phenotype; and increased fertility. We argue that the importance of cooperative breeding to human societies has made humans especially likely to enter into interspecies cooperative breeding relationships.

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Reading children’s teeth to reconstruct life history and the evolution of human cooperation and cognition: The role of dental enamel microstructure and chemistry

Nava,

Lugli,

Lemmers

et al. 2024

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

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Human Amygdala Volumetric Patterns Convergently Evolved in Cooperatively Breeding and Domesticated Species

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

Neurodevelopmental timing and socio-cognitive development in a prosocial cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus)

Neurodevelopmental timing and socio-cognitive development in a prosocial cooperatively breeding primate (Callithrix jacchus)

Domestication as the evolution of interspecies cooperative breeding

Reading children’s teeth to reconstruct life history and the evolution of human cooperation and cognition: The role of dental enamel microstructure and chemistry

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