Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.
Prog Brain Res. 2019;250:61-81. doi: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.03.017. Epub 2019 Apr 5.
Human neocortex evolved in a series of ancestors with less neocortex and fewer cortical areas. Thus, early mammals had little neocortex and roughly 20 cortical areas, while early primates had much more cortex and around 50 cortical areas. Humans have the largest of primate brains that is 80% neocortex with about 200 areas. Other changes include more and more complex cortical networks, such as those for language, and modular and cellular specializations within areas. These and other changes allow the impressive mental abilities of humans.
人类大脑新皮层是在祖先大脑新皮层逐渐减少、大脑皮层区域逐渐减少的情况下进化而来的。因此，早期的哺乳动物大脑新皮层很少，大约有 20 个皮层区域，而早期的灵长类动物大脑皮层则多得多，大约有 50 个皮层区域。人类拥有最大的灵长类动物大脑，其中 80%是新皮层，大约有 200 个区域。其他变化还包括越来越多的复杂皮质网络，例如语言网络，以及区域内的模块和细胞特化。这些以及其他变化使人类具有令人印象深刻的心理能力。
