Origins of the human brain
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vene if ego’s behavior is culturally or biologi- cally maladaptive. These are among this volume’s more in- triguing pieces. Unfortunately, few deal ef- fectively with the suffix of that bothersome term, ‘‘biocultural.’’ Wolanski, for all the sig- nificance of his work to anthropology, lo- cates the family in ecological/functionalist flow charts abandoned by our colleagues across the hall 30 years ago. Brinig sees child abuse and children’s declining aca- demic performance as indicative of a failed intergenerational ‘‘contract;’’ our state, rather than our children, now provides care in our dotage. However, as the author ac- knowledges, her data could just as easily il- lustrate that ‘‘some cultures more than oth- ers revere elderly family members.’’ Surely any cultural anthropologist would consider this the more parsimonious explanation. Siniarska, in turn, distills culture into one of seven factors that correlate variously with 54 indices of physical development in 6 age grades of over 1000 youths. Her ‘‘cul- ture’’ factor would not be recognized as such by a cultural anthropologist. It, not surpris- ingly, loads on standard of living variables such as sanitation, parents’ education, and size of municipality. The sheer mass of shifting correlations limits their application to a realistic model of families. Our colleagues across the hall now speak of contingent meanings and fluid contests for power between institution and indi- vidual. If biological anthropologists are to proceed with our biocultural agendas, we must operationize culture beyond boxes in flow charts, factor loadings, and V E . That project may be the most intellectually chal- lenging we will ever encounter. This book, however intriguing, does not advance it. STEPHEN BAILEY Department of Sociology and Anthropology Tufts University Medford, Massachusetts Origins of the Human Brain. Edited by Jean- Pierre Changeux and Jean Chavaillon, xiii + 321 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995. $72.00 (cloth). The neurosciences are currently in the midst of a revolution based on applications of spectacular medical imaging technology (PET scans, functional MRIs) to basic ques- tions about how human brains think. In re- cent years, medical technology such as ste- reolithographic modeling from CAT scans has been applied to analyses of skull and brain morphology in fossil hominids (e.g., ongoing research on Petralona and other European fossils by Horst Seidler and col- leagues). On the evolutionary theoretical front, Barbara Finlay and Richard Darling- ton of Cornell University recently provided the first model (based on conserved neuro- genesis) that realistically accounts for dif- ferent allometric scaling of the various com- ponents of the mammalian (including hu- man) brain. Significantly, this model may also be used to solve one of the biggest mys- teries in paleontology, i.e., why brains got bigger repeatedly and independently in nu- merous groups of mammals during the Cenozoic. All of the above are fundamen- tally important for understanding the ori- gins of the human brain which is the focus (and title) of the book under review. None of the revelations based on recent PET stud- ies, etc. are incorporated to any degree in the volume’s chapters. No doubt this is due largely, but not entirely, to the fact that the 1995 book is based on a 1990 conference (editors beware of humoring stragglers for too long). Even so, one may assess the chap- ters in light of the most recent findings in the neuro- and paleoneurosciences. Are they ‘‘in sync’’ or not? As it turns out some are, many are not. The volume has four parts on anatomy of the brain (six chapters), genetics (three chapters), culture (five chapters), and intel- ligence (four chapters). Most chapters are followed by discussion among some of the participants at the conference. These dis- cussions frequently have a disjointed feel (as if parts have been edited out) but are interesting nonetheless. There are a num- ber of typos (including a block of repeated text on p. 216). On the positive side, each chapter has its own references and there are both author and subject indices. However, I believe the book is too short in length (and much of it too outdated) to justify the $72.00 price. In part I, the chapters by Roger Saban and Ralph Holloway are essentially re- hashes of earlier papers. This is disappoint- ing in the case of Saban’s chapter because the topic of meningeal vessels and cranial blood flow in general has been the subject of 766 BOOK REVIEWS
Transcript of Origins of the human brain
vene if ego’s behavior is culturally or biologi-cally maladaptive.
These are among this volume’s more in-triguing pieces. Unfortunately, few deal ef-fectively with the suffix of that bothersometerm, ‘‘biocultural.’’ Wolanski, for all the sig-nificance of his work to anthropology, lo-cates the family in ecological/functionalistflow charts abandoned by our colleaguesacross the hall 30 years ago. Brinig seeschild abuse and children’s declining aca-demic performance as indicative of a failedintergenerational ‘‘contract;’’ our state,rather than our children, now provides carein our dotage. However, as the author ac-knowledges, her data could just as easily il-lustrate that ‘‘some cultures more than oth-ers revere elderly family members.’’ Surelyany cultural anthropologist would considerthis the more parsimonious explanation.
Siniarska, in turn, distills culture intoone of seven factors that correlate variouslywith 54 indices of physical development in 6age grades of over 1000 youths. Her ‘‘cul-ture’’ factor would not be recognized as suchby a cultural anthropologist. It, not surpris-ingly, loads on standard of living variablessuch as sanitation, parents’ education, andsize of municipality. The sheer mass ofshifting correlations limits their applicationto a realistic model of families.
Our colleagues across the hall now speakof contingent meanings and fluid contestsfor power between institution and indi-vidual. If biological anthropologists are toproceed with our biocultural agendas, wemust operationize culture beyond boxes inflow charts, factor loadings, and VE. Thatproject may be the most intellectually chal-lenging we will ever encounter. This book,however intriguing, does not advance it.
STEPHEN BAILEYDepartment of Sociology
and AnthropologyTufts UniversityMedford, Massachusetts
Origins of the Human Brain. Edited by Jean-Pierre Changeux and Jean Chavaillon, xiii +321 pp. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995.$72.00 (cloth).
The neurosciences are currently in themidst of a revolution based on applicationsof spectacular medical imaging technology
(PET scans, functional MRIs) to basic ques-tions about how human brains think. In re-cent years, medical technology such as ste-reolithographic modeling from CAT scanshas been applied to analyses of skull andbrain morphology in fossil hominids (e.g.,ongoing research on Petralona and otherEuropean fossils by Horst Seidler and col-leagues). On the evolutionary theoreticalfront, Barbara Finlay and Richard Darling-ton of Cornell University recently providedthe first model (based on conserved neuro-genesis) that realistically accounts for dif-ferent allometric scaling of the various com-ponents of the mammalian (including hu-man) brain. Significantly, this model mayalso be used to solve one of the biggest mys-teries in paleontology, i.e., why brains gotbigger repeatedly and independently in nu-merous groups of mammals during theCenozoic. All of the above are fundamen-tally important for understanding the ori-gins of the human brain which is the focus(and title) of the book under review. None ofthe revelations based on recent PET stud-ies, etc. are incorporated to any degree inthe volume’s chapters. No doubt this is duelargely, but not entirely, to the fact that the1995 book is based on a 1990 conference(editors beware of humoring stragglers fortoo long). Even so, one may assess the chap-ters in light of the most recent findings inthe neuro- and paleoneurosciences. Are they‘‘in sync’’ or not? As it turns out some are,many are not.
The volume has four parts on anatomy ofthe brain (six chapters), genetics (threechapters), culture (five chapters), and intel-ligence (four chapters). Most chapters arefollowed by discussion among some of theparticipants at the conference. These dis-cussions frequently have a disjointed feel(as if parts have been edited out) but areinteresting nonetheless. There are a num-ber of typos (including a block of repeatedtext on p. 216). On the positive side, eachchapter has its own references and there areboth author and subject indices. However, Ibelieve the book is too short in length (andmuch of it too outdated) to justify the $72.00price.
In part I, the chapters by Roger Sabanand Ralph Holloway are essentially re-hashes of earlier papers. This is disappoint-ing in the case of Saban’s chapter becausethe topic of meningeal vessels and cranialblood flow in general has been the subject of
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new research that the author could haveprofitably incorporated into an updatedmodel of vascular evolution. As it stands,the chapter is largely descriptive, based onsmall sample sizes (frequently unspecifiedin this chapter), and incorrect in some of itsassertions (e.g., that gracile and robust aus-tralopithecines are distinguished by theirbranching patterns of the middle meningealvessels). It does however get across the ideathat vascular architecture became morecomplex with increasing brain size. Hollo-way’s chapter is still another rendering ofhis views regarding the lunate sulcus ingeneral and his differences with my own re-search in particular. I find his assertionthat the intersection of the intraparietalwith the lunate sulcus indicates the rostralextent of the lunate sulcus truly amazing.The lunate sulcus is called the lunate be-cause it frequently exhibits a crescent shapewith its convexity directed rostrally. Onetherefore needs to take its entire configura-tion into account in order to determine howmuch lateral visual cortex it delimits. Cer-tainly one medially located point cannot betaken to indicate the most rostral extent of avariably curved lunate sulcus. At any rate, anumber of workers besides myself havequestioned Holloway’s assertion that pari-etal lobe reorganization occurred before theincrease in brain size during hominid evo-lution based on their own interesting re-search (e.g., Este Armstrong, Harry Jeri-son). Nor is Holloway’s continued adherenceto this model ‘‘in sync’’ with the sophisti-cated and convincing analyses of Finlay andDarlington (1995). Because of the impor-tance of this latter research, I am happy tosee related research on neurogenesis byPasko Rakic included in Part I. Finally, thebreath of fresh air in Part I is Chapter 4 byPhillip Tobias. It offers an up-to-date, syn-thetic, and comprehensive report on homi-nid brain evolution in which Tobias extendshis earlier work and thinking in a mannerthat is consistent with the latest findings inthe neurosciences. I was particularly de-lighted to see new information about theheart-shaped foramen magnum in robustaustralopithecines related to the literatureon venous sinus drainage systems and bipe-dalism.
Part II includes another rehash by Re-becca Cann of the Mitochondrial DNA
analyses that support an Out-of-Africamodel of recent hominid evolution. This sec-tion lacks balance because it does not in-clude discussion or a chapter that revealsthe scope of the controversy (or opposingviews) surrounding this particular interpre-tation. Of the three genetics chapters, Imost enjoyed Chapter 9 on mammalian ho-meo box genes by Frank Ruddle and Clau-dia Kappen. It is important, I think.
Part III on culture is, again, a mixed bag.Chapter 12 by Robert Hinde is a fun read,particularly his discussion about humanuniversals (e.g., fear of snakes—I love it).Chapter 14 by Andre Roch Lecours providesone of the most thought-provoking discus-sions in the entire book (at least for me)about the literate vs the illiterate brain. Butwhy in a chapter about the evolution of writ-ing is there no reference to the fascinatingwork of Denise Schmandt-Besserat? A simi-lar question comes to mind about LawrenceWeiskrantz’ discussion of the origin of con-sciousness (Chapter 15) which is in Part IVon intelligence. Surely Gordon Gallup’s re-search on self-recognition in mirrors andtheoretical extension of same is relevanthere! My last remark about a particularchapter is a positive one: Steven Pinker’sChapter 17 ‘‘Facts about human languagerelevant to its evolution’’ is simply wonder-ful and fits splendidly with recent findingsin the neurosciences. If you read that, To-bias’ chapter, Rackic’s chapter, and the Fin-lay and Darlington cover article from theJune 16, 1995 issue of Science, you will bewell on your way to glimmering what’sknown about human brain evolution. Throwin some reviews of the recent PET and MRIliterature and read the parts of Lecours’chapter on reading, developmental dyslexiaand the brain, and you will have achievedwhat this book has not.
LITERATURE CITED
Finley BL, Darlington RB Linked regularities in thedevelopment and evolution of mammalian brains. Sci-ence 268:1578–1584.
DEAN FALKDepartment of AnthropologyState University of New York
at AlbanyAlbany, New York
BOOK REVIEWS 767
