Neurobiology of Social Communication In Primates

An Evolutionary Perspective

1st Edition - January 28, 1979
Editor: Horest Steklis
Language: English
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 1 5 5 2 0 - 5

Neurobiology of Social Communication in Primates: An Evolutionary Perspective presents evidence on the neural basis of communicative behavior in primates, reevaluating the… Read more

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Neurobiology of Social Communication in Primates: An Evolutionary Perspective presents evidence on the neural basis of communicative behavior in primates, reevaluating the relationship between human language and animal communication in view of the linguistic abilities of chimpanzees. This book consists of 10 chapters. Chapter 1 discusses some of the persistent problems in evolutionary neurobiology of primate communication. The effects of brain lesions and stimulation on vocalization in New and Old World monkeys, relation between species differences in peripheral vocal structures and species contrasts in vocal performance, and anatomy and physiology of the nonhuman primate auditory system are reviewed in Chapters 2 to 4. Chapters 5 to 7 examine the effects of electrical brain stimulation on human verbal communication and facial expression, clinical data pertaining to language pathologies, and neural mechanisms of manual and oral control. The last three chapters summarize the materials presented in earlier chapters. This publication is recommended for neuroscientists, behavioral biologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and students interested in the evolutionary heritage of human speech and language.

List of Contributors

Preface

Acknowledgments

1 Introductory Comments and Overview

2 Neural Control of Vocalization in Nonhuman Primates

Introdution

Stimulation Studies

Neuroanatomical Studies

Lesion Studies

Recording Studies

Conclusions

References

3 Mechanisms Underlying Vocal Control in Nonhuman Primates

Introduction

The Peripheral Vocal Apparatus

Central Nervous System

Vocal Behavior in Nonhuman Primates

Imitation of Vocal Signals

Conditionability of Vocal Signals

Summary

References

4 Central Nervous System Processing of Sounds in Primates

Introduction

Anatomy of Auditory Cortex

Physiology of the Auditory Pathway in Primates

Acoustic Activation of Units Outside the Auditory Pathway

Evoked Potential Mapping of Primate Auditory Cortex

Effects of Auditory Cortex Ablations on Sound Perception

General Conclusions

References

5 Cortical and Subcortical Organization of Human Communication: Evidence from Stimulation Studies

Electrical Stimulation as a Technique in Behavioral Investigation

The Organization of Language in Human Cortex as Indicated by Alterations in Naming

Subdivisions of Cortical Language Processes

Subcortical Language Function

The Evolutionary Significance of the Cortical and Subcortical Patterns of Language and Memory Organization as Derived from Stimulation Studies

References

6 Language Representation in the Brain

Localization: Some Problems

A Brain Model of Language

Clinical Pathology of Language

General Conclusions

References

7 Neuromotor Mechanisms in the Evolution of Human Communication

Introduction

Evolution of Communication in Man

Neural Mechanisms

Summary and Conclusions

References

8 Specialization and the Language Areas

Introduction

The Abilities of Nonhuman Primates

The Brain

Conclusion

References

9 Behavioral and Neurobiological Aspects of Primate Vocalization and Facial Expression

Introduction

Behavioral Data

Neurobiological Data

Summary and Conclusions

References

10 Requisites for Language: Interspecific and Evolutionary Aspects

Introduction

Cognition

Production

Perception

Evolution

References

Index