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 Homo erectus Homo sapiens X-Y homology australopithecus cerebral asymmetry great apes heterochrony language speciation Programme(s) FP6-POLICIES - Policy support: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) NEST-2004-Path-HUM - What it means to be human Call for proposal FP6-2004-NEST-PATH See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator ROYAL MUSEUM FOR CENTRAL AFRICA Address Leuvensesteenweg 13 Tervuren Belgium See on map Links Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all SANE United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Warneford hospital, roosevelt drive London See on map Links Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Pembroke place Liverpool See on map Links Website Opens in new window KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address Retzius vaeg 8 Stockholm See on map Links Website Opens in new window TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY DARMSTADT Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Karolinenplatz 5 Darmstadt See on map Links Website Opens in new window
