Understanding Human Intelligence: How Cognitive Circuitry Drove Evolution Beyond Brain Size

Unveiling the Enigma of Brain Evolution: Beyond Size to Cognitive Circuitry

In the intricate tapestry of evolution, one puzzle stands out: the rarity of large brains among other animals despite their pivotal role in human evolutionary success. While humans have demonstrated the importance of significant brain size, such attributes remain a striking exception in the animal kingdom, where most species thrive with seemingly sufficient, petite brains devoid of the surplus neurons present in the human brain.

Why is this so?

Biologists have converged on an explanation: the tremendous energy expenditure required to sustain large brains surpasses the evolutionary benefits accrued. However, is brain size the sole determinant? Could the structural layout of our brains also influence their metabolic costs?

A recent study published in Science Advances¹ provides intriguing insights into this captivating inquiry.