Metabolic costs of brain size evolution

Author:

Isler Karin1,van Schaik Carel P1

Affiliation:

1. Anthropologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich-IrchelWinterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland

Abstract

Abstract In the ongoing discussion about brain evolution in vertebrates, the main interest has shifted from theories focusing on energy balance to theories proposing social or ecological benefits of enhanced intellect. With the availability of a wealth of new data on basal metabolic rate (BMR) and brain size and with the aid of reliable techniques of comparative analysis, we are able to show that in fact energetics is an issue in the maintenance of a relatively large brain, and that brain size is positively correlated with the BMR in mammals, controlling for body size effects. We conclude that attempts to explain brain size variation in different taxa must consider the ability to sustain the energy costs alongside cognitive benefits.

Publisher

The Royal Society

Subject

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)

Reference32 articles.

1. The Expensive-Tissue Hypothesis: The Brain and the Digestive System in Human and Primate Evolution

2. The social nature of primate cognition

3. Brody S. 1945 Bioenegetics and growth. New York NY:Reinhold.

4. The Technical Intelligence hypothesis: An additional evolutionary stimulus to intelligence?

5. Byrne R.W& Whiten A. 1988 Machiavellian intelligence: social expertise and the evolution of intellect in monkeys apes and humans. Oxford UK:Clarendon Press.

Cited by 252 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3