Objective
The essence of being human is the ability to communicate with language. This project addresses the questions what is the neural correlate of the capacity for language and what was the genetic nature of the transitions from a great ape-hominid precursor to modern H sapiens' Paul Broca's hypothesis that asymmetry (the "torque") is the feature that defines the human brain will be investigated in skull and brain structure will be addressed. The project is informed by the hypothesis that a genetic determinant is located in a region of X-Y homology subject to change in the hominid lineage and that a series of changes in the Xq21.3/Yp sapiens-specific region of homology that includes the ProtocadherinX and ProtocadherinY gene pair influenced the timing and form of brain development. The project investigates these hypotheses through great ape-human comparisons of
- skull and brain structure including asymmetries,
- asymmetries of cellular structure of association cortex,
- of the structure and organization of inter-hemispheric connexions.
Keywords
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-NEST-PATH
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Funding Scheme
STREP - Specific Targeted Research ProjectCoordinator
TERVUREN
Belgium