Investigate shows variations in the brains of modern humans and Neanderthals | Neanderthals – Fighting Hawks Magazine

Neanderthals have long been portrayed as our dimwitted, boorish cousins. Now, a groundbreaking analysis — while not confirming the stereotype — has revealed differences in the mental development of humans and Neanderthals.

The study involved inserting a Neanderthal mind gene into mice, ferrets and “mini-mind” structures called organoids grown in the lab from human stem cells. The experiments showed that the Neanderthal model of the gene was linked to slower formation of neurons in the brain’s cortex during enhancement, which scientists say could explain the superior cognitive abilities of modern humans.

“Making additional neuron units is the idea for better cognitive function,” said Wieland Huttner, who led the work at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. “We believe this is the first compelling evidence that fashionable humans were cognitively superior to Neanderthals.”

Trend people and Neanderthals split into separate lineages about 400,000 years ago, with our ancestors staying in Africa and the Neanderthals migrating north into Europe. About 60,000 years ago, a mass migration of modern humans from Africa introduced the two species face-to-face, and so they interbred – humans of non-African heritage alive today carry 1-4% of Neanderthal DNA. However, by 30,000 years ago, our historical cousins ​​had disappeared as a distinct species, and the question of how we defeated the Neanderthals has remained a thriller.

“A concrete truth is that wherever they went, Homo sapiens was able to outperform other species mainly. It’s a bit bizarre,” said Prof Laurent Nguyen of the College of Liège, who was not involved in the latest analysis. “These men [Neanderthals] long before we would have been in Europe and tailored to their environment along with pathogens. The big question is why we might be able to outperform them.”

Some argue that our ancestors had a mental edge, but until not too long ago there was no way to scientifically examine the speculation. That changed in the last decade, when scientists efficiently sequenced Neanderthal DNA from a fossilized toe fragment in a Siberian cave, paving the way for brand new insights into how Neanderthal biology differs from ours.

The latest experiments look at a gene called TKTL1, which is involved in neural production in the growing mind. The Neanderthal model of the gene differs from the human model by one letter. When introduced into mice, scientists discovered that the Neanderthal variant led to the formation of fewer neurons, particularly in the brain’s frontal lobe, where most cognitive traits are located. The scientists also studied the gene’s action in ferrets and clumps of lab-grown tissue called organoids, which replicate the essential buildings of the growing mind.

“This shows us that while we have no idea how many neurons the Neanderthal brain had, we can assume that fashionable people have extra neurons in the frontal lobe of the brain, the location [the gene’s] Movement is higher than in Neanderthals,” said Anneline Pinson, first author of the study.

Chris Stringer, head of Human Origins Analysis at the Pure Historical Past Museum in London, called the work “groundbreaking” and said it tackles one of the many central mysteries of human evolution – why, given all the variety people have done so far, actually we are the ones left

“Concepts have come and gone – better instruments, better weapons, correct language, artwork and imagery, higher intelligence,” Stringer said. “Finally, this provides a clue as to why our brains may need to outperform those of Neanderthals.”

Additional neurons do not automatically equate to a better kind of human being, although they do dictate the basic processing power of the mind. The human brain contains about twice as many neurons as the brains of chimpanzees and bonobos.

Nguyen said the latest work is far from definitive proof of the superior minds of modern-day humans, but shows that Neanderthals exhibited significant differences in mental development. “It’s an exciting story,” he added.