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Brain energetics and evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2001

Paul Bach-y-Rita  and
Gaetano L. Aiello
Paul Bach-y-Rita
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mexico pbachyri@facstaff.wisc.edu
Gaetano L. Aiello
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Astronomiche, Via Archirafi n. 36, Palermo, Italy aiello@ist.fisica.unipa.it
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Abstract

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The human brain does not use more energy than the smaller brains ofanimals of comparable corporal weight. Uniquely, human functionslocalized largely in parts of the human brain that show greatestsize increase over other animals may be mediated primarily bynonsynaptic neurotransmission, with reduced energy cost per kilogramof brain. This may affect the energetic constraints onevolution.

Information

Type
Brief Report
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 24 , Issue 2 , April 2001 , pp. 280 - 281
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press