Prefrontal cortex activation supports the emergence of early stone age toolmaking skill

Putt, Shelby S.J.; Wijeakumar, Sobanawartiny; Spencer, John P.

Abstract

Trends toward encephalization and technological complexity ∼1.8 million years ago may signify cognitive development in the genus Homo. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, we measured relative brain activity of 33 human subjects at three different points as they learned to make replicative Oldowan and Acheulian Early Stone Age tools. Here we show that the more complex early Acheulian industry recruits left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex when skills related to this task are first being learned. Individuals with increased activity in this area are the most proficient at the Acheulian task. The Oldowan task, on the other hand, transitions to automatic processing in less than 4 h of training. Individuals with increased sensorimotor activity demonstrate the most skill at this task. We argue that enhanced working memory abilities received positive selection in response to technological needs during the early Pleistocene, setting Homo on the path to becoming human.

Citation

Putt, S. S., Wijeakumar, S., & Spencer, J. P. (2019). Prefrontal cortex activation supports the emergence of early stone age toolmaking skill. NeuroImage, 199, 57-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.056

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 21, 2019
• Online Publication Date: May 22, 2019
• Publication Date: May 22, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jan 31, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 31, 2020
• Journal: NeuroImage
• Print ISSN: 1053-8119
• Electronic ISSN: 1095-9572
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 199
• Pages: 57-69
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.056
• Keywords: Cognitive Neuroscience; Neurology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3827745
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811919304483
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Prefrontal cortex activation supports the emergence of early stone age toolmaking skill; Journal Title: NeuroImage; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.056; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.