15 Mutations Resulted In Increased Brain Size

naoursla writes "Researchers at the University of Chicago think they have identified 15 mutations in a gene responsible for brain development that gave humans abilities of abstract thought and planning. The article is at Discover. They plan to insert the gene into mice to 'to see what affect it has on brain development.'"

Comments

Re:Only 15?

[Elwood P Dowd]

Many asymmetric functions of the brain could be due to very general mutations:

"Left side, build neurons with branches closer to the nucleus."

"Right side, build neurons with branches further from the nucleus."

Neurons on the left side of your brain are more likely to be linked to nearby neurons than the right side. Neurons on the right side of your brain are more likely to have far away links.

Left brain semantic functions associate words like "warm" and "cold". Right brain language functions associate words like "warm" and "orange" (a warm color).

Er, maybe that's a bad example. I wish I still had access to my college's journal subscriptions.

Anyway. I'm sure there are genes that have given our brains specific asymmetrical capabilities, but my (limited!) understanding of the subject leads me to believe that that most asymmetrical capabilities of the brain are due to a very general difference in neuron branching.

And all this only really makes sense in the 90% of people that are left-brain "dominant". It very nicely explains why we're more dextrous with our right hands.

(Wait... I don't know how this relates to your comment anymore. I'm sorry :)

Re:Might want to look into the 2nd smartest specie

[emaveneau]

They may want to look at the genetic mutations of dolphins and find out what made them have such a large brain, and be so intelligent that all that they do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around, whereas we build cars and buildings, and start wars.

The Swedish scientist Lars Terenius, one of the discoverers of endorphins, may have already answered that question.

He suggested that humans might be the only species on the planet lacking enough chemicals in their brains to keep them happy.
Just as people are tempted to drink and take drugs in search of euphoria, so too might they scale mountains, build skyscrapers or pen theories on the laws of the universe if the sense of accomplishment unleashed euphoria-producing brain chemicals. Lower species, meanwhile, would remain content to huddle in their twigs and bushes generation after generation.

Page 143. Possessing Genius: The true account of the Bizarre Odyssey of Einstein's Brain. Carolyn Abraham, 2001, Penguin. ISBN 014029368X.

Our disposition to be unhappy makes us out compete everything else. Other species are happy and only seek survival.

BTW: Great book. Covers what happened to his brain post autopsy. Full of neuro knowledge and witticisms.