Using MRI imaging it is now possible to picture in detail the nerve connections between different parts of the brain – the ‘connectome’, the wiring diagram. This Scientific American article describes some studies comparing connections in different animals. One huge seven year study by Yaniv Assef and Yossi Yovel compares the brains of 123 mammalian species. Another by Martijn van den Heuvel compared our brain connections to those of chimpanzees and found that, although we share 255 connections, 33 connections are specific to humans. These 33 connections are longer than those in chimpanzees and tie “together high-level ‘associative’ areas in the cortex that are involved in language, tool use and imitation”. Interesting. This information makes me think about many aspects of human intelligence, skills, creativity and behaviour. These connections in my and your brain, and the complex functions of the connected cortical areas working in cooperation are part of the reason I and you can communicate, understand and think about this observation. And these, among other features of our human brain have contributed mightily to our ‘success’ as a species across the world. Let’s hope they help us to successfully deal with the huge challenges of covid-19 and climate change.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-human-brains-are-different-it-has-a-lot-to-do-with-the-connections/