Brodmann area 10, or BA10, is part of the frontal cortex in the human brain. BA10 encompasses the most anterior part of the frontal cortex, known as the frontopolar region. This area is believed to play a part in strategic processes involved in memory retrieval and executive function.
Prefrontal white matter, strongly associated with neotenous acceleration of neural maturation and particularly notable in BA10, shows the largest difference between human and nonhuman. Gray matter shows no significant difference, which suggests accelerated genetic expression and neotenous maturation of BA10 played a key role in human brain evolution.
Morphological comparisons
Endocasts taken from the inside of skull of 'Flo', the female homo floresiensis designated LB1, revealed significant enlargement of Brodmann's area 10, a region of the brain which is thought responsible for planning. This neuromorphological feature is unique to h. fresiensis, also known as hobbits. By relative size, this area is much more prominent in Flo than it is in chimpanzees, or even in modern humans. This finding is compatible with earlier research, indicating that robust gorillas have less frontal cortex white matter than their gracile chimpanzee cousins, just as relatively robust humans appear to have relatively less development of BA10 compared to hobbits.
Prefrontal white matter, strongly associated with neotenous acceleration of neural maturation and particularly notable in BA10, shows the largest difference between human and nonhuman. Gray matter shows no significant difference, which suggests accelerated genetic expression and neotenous maturation of BA10 played a key role in human brain evolution.
See also
External links
- UPenn.edu (pdf) - Prefrontal white matter volume is disproportionately larger in humans than in other primates (February, 2005)
- Cayuga Medical Center - 'Inside the Head of the Hobbit'