Lateralization of Minicolumns in Human Planum temporale Is Absent in Nonhuman Primate Cortex

Vol. 57, No. 6, 2001

Free Abstract Article (Fulltext) Article (PDF 923 KB)

Original Paper

Lateralization of Minicolumns in Human Planum temporale Is Absent in Nonhuman Primate Cortex
Daniel P. Buxhoeveden^{a, b}, Andrew E. Switala^a, Mark Litaker^a, Emil Roy^a, Manuel F. Casanova^a

^aDowntown VA Medical Center, Psychiatry Service, Augusta, Ga.,
^bDepartment of Anthropology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Brain Behav Evol 2001;57:349-358 (DOI: 10.1159/000047253)

Key Words

Columns
Evolution
Laterality
Planum temporale
Primates

Abstract

Gross analyses of large brain areas, as in MRI studies of macroanatomical structures, average subtle alterations in small regions, inadvertently missing significant anomalies. We developed a computerized imaging program to microscopically examine minicolumns and used it to study Nissl-stained slides of normal human, chimpanzee, and rhesus monkey brains in a region of the planum temporale. With this method, we measured the width of cell columns, the peripheral neuropil space, the spacing density of neurons within columns, and the Gray Level index per minicolumn. Only human brain tissue revealed robust asymmetry in two aspects of minicolumn morphology: wider columns and more neuropil space on the left side. This asymmetry was absent in chimpanzee and rhesus monkey brains.

Author Contacts

Daniel P. Buxhoeveden, PhD
Medical College of Georgia, Downtown VA Medical Center
116-A, Psychiatry Service, 3B-121, Augusta, GA 30904 (USA)
Tel. (706) 733-0188, ext 2709, Fax (706) 823-3913
E-Mail: danb@psych.mcg.edu

Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 10
Number of Figures : 8, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 91

Special offer for members of the J.B. Johnston Club

This journal is part of the first subject package of the Karger

Journal Archive Collection

Information on packages (PDF)
Free sample issues

For non-native English speakers and international authors who would like assistance with their writing before submission, we suggest American Journal Experts for their research paper editing service.