An important new study with implications for the Conservative Brain

[Jackpine Radical]

http://www.allmanlab.caltech.edu/PDFs/AllmanHakeemHofetal2001.pdf


The Anterior Cingulate Cortex
The Evolution of an Interface between
Emotion and Cognition
JOHN M. ALLMAN,
a
ATIYA HAKEEM,
a
JOSEPH M. ERWIN,
b
ESTHER NIMCHINSKY,
c
AND PATRICK HOF
d
a
Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena,
California 91125, USA
b
Division of Neurobiology, Behavior, and Genetics, Bioqual, Rockville,
Maryland 20850, USA
c
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor,
New York 11724, USA
d
Neurobiology of Aging Laboratories, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York,
New York 10029, USA
ABSTRACT: We propose that the anterior cingulate cortex is a specialization of
neocortex rather than a more primitive stage of cortical evolution. Functions
central to intelligent behavior, that is, emotional self-control, focused problem
solving, error recognition, and adaptive response to changing conditions, are
juxtaposed with the emotions in this structure. Evidence of an important role
for the anterior cingulate cortex in these functions has accumulated through
single-neuron recording, electrical stimulation, EEG, PET, fMRI, and lesion
studies. The anterior cingulate cortex contains a class of spindle-shaped neurons that are found only in humans and the great apes, and thus are a recent
evolutionary specialization probably related to these functions. The spindle
cells appear to be widely connected with diverse parts of the brain and may
have a role in the coordination that would be essential in developing the capacity to focus on difficult problems. Furthermore, they emerge postnatally and
their survival may be enhanced or reduced by environmental conditions of enrichment or stress, thus potentially influencing adult competence or dysfunction in emotional self-control and problem-solving capacity