Abstract
The hunting and gathering lifestyle adopted by human ancestors around 2 Ma required a large increase in aerobic activity. High levels of physical activity altered the shape of the human body, enabling access to new food resources (e.g. animal protein) in a changing environment. Recent experimental work provides strong evidence that both acute bouts of exercise and long-term exercise training increase the size of brain components and improve cognitive performance in humans and other taxa. However, to date, researchers have not explored the possibility that the increases in aerobic capacity and physical activity that occurred during human evolution directly influenced the human brain. Here, we hypothesize that proximate mechanisms linking physical activity and neurobiology in living species may help to explain changes in brain size and cognitive function during human evolution. We review evidence that selection acting on endurance increased baseline neurotrophin and growth factor signalling (compounds responsible for both brain growth and for metabolic regulation during exercise) in some mammals, which in turn led to increased overall brain growth and development. This hypothesis suggests that a significant portion of human neurobiology evolved due to selection acting on features unrelated to cognitive performance.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 20122250 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
| Volume | 280 |
| Issue number | 1750 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
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Keywords
- Brain size
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
- Encephalization
- Endurance running
- Neurotrophins
- Physical activity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Environmental Science(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
Cite this
Linking brains and brawn : Exercise and the evolution of human neurobiology. / Raichlen, David A.; Polk, John D.
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 280, No. 1750, 20122250, 01.01.2013.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Linking brains and brawn
T2 - Exercise and the evolution of human neurobiology
AU - Raichlen, David A.
AU - Polk, John D.
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - The hunting and gathering lifestyle adopted by human ancestors around 2 Ma required a large increase in aerobic activity. High levels of physical activity altered the shape of the human body, enabling access to new food resources (e.g. animal protein) in a changing environment. Recent experimental work provides strong evidence that both acute bouts of exercise and long-term exercise training increase the size of brain components and improve cognitive performance in humans and other taxa. However, to date, researchers have not explored the possibility that the increases in aerobic capacity and physical activity that occurred during human evolution directly influenced the human brain. Here, we hypothesize that proximate mechanisms linking physical activity and neurobiology in living species may help to explain changes in brain size and cognitive function during human evolution. We review evidence that selection acting on endurance increased baseline neurotrophin and growth factor signalling (compounds responsible for both brain growth and for metabolic regulation during exercise) in some mammals, which in turn led to increased overall brain growth and development. This hypothesis suggests that a significant portion of human neurobiology evolved due to selection acting on features unrelated to cognitive performance.
AB - The hunting and gathering lifestyle adopted by human ancestors around 2 Ma required a large increase in aerobic activity. High levels of physical activity altered the shape of the human body, enabling access to new food resources (e.g. animal protein) in a changing environment. Recent experimental work provides strong evidence that both acute bouts of exercise and long-term exercise training increase the size of brain components and improve cognitive performance in humans and other taxa. However, to date, researchers have not explored the possibility that the increases in aerobic capacity and physical activity that occurred during human evolution directly influenced the human brain. Here, we hypothesize that proximate mechanisms linking physical activity and neurobiology in living species may help to explain changes in brain size and cognitive function during human evolution. We review evidence that selection acting on endurance increased baseline neurotrophin and growth factor signalling (compounds responsible for both brain growth and for metabolic regulation during exercise) in some mammals, which in turn led to increased overall brain growth and development. This hypothesis suggests that a significant portion of human neurobiology evolved due to selection acting on features unrelated to cognitive performance.
KW - Brain size
KW - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
KW - Encephalization
KW - Endurance running
KW - Neurotrophins
KW - Physical activity
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84869842192&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2012.2250
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2012.2250
M3 - Review article
VL - 280
JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
SN - 0800-4622
IS - 1750
M1 - 20122250
ER -