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Apes, Language, and the Brain

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Animal Models of Speech and Language Disorders

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Abstract

Language is a unique form of communication in humans and is unmatched in the animal kingdom. There are well-defined cortical regions involved in both the comprehension and production of speech including Wernicke’s and Broca’s area. To what extent these regions play a role in the communicative abilities of primates, notably great apes, remains a central topic of research in neuroscience, anthropology, and psychology. In this chapter, I present an overview of the cognitive foundations of gestural and vocal communication in chimpanzees, including some results from language-trained apes. I also present data on the evolution in size and lateralization of Wernicke’s and Broca’s area in chimpanzees. These anatomical data are combined with behavioral data to show how individual differences in gestural and vocal communication are associated with volumetric and lateralized differences in Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. The collective findings are discussed within the context of language evolution and the emergence of complex motor and cognitive processes in humans after the split from the common ancestor with chimpanzees.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by NIH grants NS-42867, NS-73134, HD-60563, and HD-56232. American Psychological Association and Institute of Medicine guidelines for the ethical treatment of chimpanzees in research were adhered to during all aspects of this study. I am grateful to the helpful assistance of the entire veterinary staff at the Yerkes Center for their assistance in collection of the MRI scans. The invaluable contributions of Jennifer Schaeffer, Jamie Russell, Dr. Jared Taglialatela, and Dr. Stephanie Bogart are most appreciated. Correspondence regarding this chapter can be sent to William D. Hopkins, Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30322. Email: whopkin@emory.edu.

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  1. Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30305, USA

    William D. Hopkins B.A., M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    William D. Hopkins B.A., M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. William D. Hopkins B.A., M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to William D. Hopkins B.A., M.D., Ph.D. .

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  1. Department of Neurology, Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA

    Santosh A. Helekar

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Hopkins, W.D. (2013). Apes, Language, and the Brain. In: Helekar, S. (eds) Animal Models of Speech and Language Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8400-4_10

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