Analysis of Synaptic Gene Expression in the Neocortex of Primates Reveals Evolutionary Changes in Glutamatergic Neurotransmission
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Increased relative brain size characterizes the evolution of primates, suggesting that enhanced cognition plays an important part in the behavioral adaptations of this mammalian order. In addition to changes in brain anatomy, cognition can also be regulated by molecular changes that alter synaptic function, but little is known about modifications of synapses in primate brain evolution. The aim of the current study was to investigate the expression patterns and evolution of 20 synaptic genes from the prefrontal cortex of 12 primate species. The genes investigated included glutamate receptors, scaffolding proteins, synaptic vesicle components, as well as factors involved in synaptic vesicle release and structural components of the nervous system. Our analyses revealed that there have been significant changes during primate brain evolution in the components of the glutamatergic signaling pathway in terms of gene expression, protein expression, and promoter sequence changes. These results could entail functional modifications in the regulation of specific genes related to processes underlying learning and memory.
Source: Cerebral Cortex
Institutions: George Washington University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Duke University, New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Holloman Air Force Base, Georgia State University, Kent State University, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: Collaborative Research: Evolutionary Origins of the Brain Energetics and Adaptive Plasticity of Humans, Discovering the evolved human brain phenotype, Heritability of Neuroanatomical Asymmetries in Primates, G5015687274, G6431805409, G67919484, Hemispheric Specialization and Communication, The Southwest National Primate Research Center, Emory National Primate Research Center
OpenAlex ID: W2135534142