Smit-Vis J H, Griffioen F M
Anatomisch-Embryologisch Laboratorium, Academisch-Medisch Centrum, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anat Anz. 1987;163(5):401-6.
In the present study the skulls of 36 experimentally bipedal adult male rats are compared with those of 47 adult male control rats, with particular attention to the relation length, width and height respectively of the neurocranium to brain size. It was shown that, on average, the neurocranium of bipedal rats was reduced in length and increased in height, while its width was unchanged. With respect to brain size the 2 groups were similar. It is postulated that the increase of height might be considered as a compensation for the loss of space due to the decreased length. The neurocranial height is the dimension in which adaptation to the space demands of the brain is realised. These adaptations are, therefore, controlled by a local epigenetic factor, viz. brain size.
在本研究中，将36只经实验诱导为双足行走的成年雄性大鼠的颅骨与47只成年雄性对照大鼠的颅骨进行了比较，特别关注了脑颅的长度、宽度和高度与脑大小之间的关系。结果表明，平均而言，双足行走大鼠的脑颅长度减小，高度增加，而宽度不变。就脑大小而言，两组相似。据推测，高度的增加可能被视为对因长度减小而导致的空间损失的一种补偿。脑颅高度是实现对脑空间需求适应的维度。因此，这些适应是由一个局部表观遗传因素，即脑大小所控制的。
