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Dryad

Connectional asymmetry of the inferior parietal lobule shapes hemispheric specialization in humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques

Cite this dataset

Cheng, Luqi et al. (2021). Connectional asymmetry of the inferior parietal lobule shapes hemispheric specialization in humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.s4mw6m96m

Abstract

The inferior parietal lobule (IPL) is one of the most expanded cortical regions in humans relative to other primates. It is also among the most structurally and functionally asymmetric regions in the human cerebral cortex. Whether the structural and connectional asymmetries of IPL subdivisions differ across primate species and how this relates to functional asymmetries remain unclear. We identified IPL subregions that exhibited positive allometric in both hemispheres, scaling across rhesus macaque monkeys, chimpanzees, and humans. The patterns of IPL subregions asymmetry were similar in chimpanzees and humans, but no IPL asymmetries were evident in macaques. Among the comparative sample of primates, humans showed the most widespread asymmetric connections in the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices, constituting leftward asymmetric networks that may provide an anatomical basis for language and tool use. Unique human asymmetric connectivity between the IPL and primary motor cortex might be related to handedness. These findings suggest that structural and connectional asymmetries may underlie hemispheric specialization of the human brain.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China, Award: 91432302

Guangdong Province Introduction of Innovative R&D Team, Award: 2018B030333001

Youth Innovation Promotion Association

Peking University

Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commision, Award: Z161100000216139

Science Frontier Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Award: QYZDJ-SSW-SMC019

Guangdong Pearl River Talents Plan, Award: 2016ZT06S220

National Science Foundation, Award: SMA-1542848

Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Award: XDB32030200