Katja Heuer

Abstract Evolutionary adaptations associated with the formation of a folded cortex in many mammalian brains are thought to be a critical specialization associated with higher cognitive function. The dramatic surface expansion and highly convoluted folding of the cortex during early development is a theme with variations that suggest the need for a comparative study of cortical gyrification.

Abstract The reciprocal connections between the cerebellum and the cerebrum have been suggested to simultaneously play a role in brain size increase and to support a broad array of brain functions in primates. The cerebello-cerebral system has undergone marked functionally relevant reorganization. In particular, the lateral cerebellar lobules crura I-II (the ansiform) have been suggested to be expanded in hominoids.

During development, the brains of most mammals (including humans) will fold into a unique pattern of grooves and ridges. Understanding how these wrinkles emerge can provide important insights into how the brain works. Most research in this area has focused on the structure of the cerebrum, the two large lobes that make up most of the brain. However, much less is known about the structure of the cerebellum – the ‘little brain’ that sits beneath the cerebrum.