--- title: "Neanderthals and Modern Humans Differentiate in Brain Development" description: "It is not known how modern humans and Neanderthal brains might have differed in terms of their development and function, but both have same size of br" author: "Siddhi Shaw" published: 2022-08-01 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/1825/neanderthals-and-modern-humans-differentiate-in-brain-development category: "science" tags: ["development methodologies", "science and technology"] reading_time: 2 minutes --- # Neanderthals and Modern Humans Differentiate in Brain Development **Neanderthals** have been the closest relatives to modern humans. If they have been compared they would give some fascinating insights into what it makes present-day [humans](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1723/human-cognitive-glitch-is-spotted-by-the-google-s-ai) unique. For example, we could consider about the development of the brain. ``` HIGHLIGHTS Both Neanderthals and modern humans had same size brains The researchers have recently discovered that neural stem cells The study showed cellular variations within the development of the brain ``` The **neocortex**, the largest part of the outer layer of the brain would be unique to mammals and would be crucial for several cognitive capacities. It has been noticed that it got expanded dramatically during the [human evolution](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/1868/what-are-the-facts-about-the-human-evolution) in species ancestral to both Neanderthals and the modern humans. It had resulted that both Neanderthals and modern humans were having same size [brains](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1751/latest-computer-chip-mimics-like-the-human-brain). However, nearly nothing has been known about how modern humans and Neanderthal brains might have differed in terms of their development and function. The [researchers](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1726/researchers-developed-a-new-technology-that-can-lead-to-solar-panels-working-at-night) of the **Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden** and the **Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) in Leipzig** have [recently discovered](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/99433/what-is-the-name-of-the-recently-discovered-ancient-city-in-egypt-that-dates-back-over-3-000-years) that neural [stem cells](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1423/after-a-stem-cell-transplant-the-first-woman-is-said-to-be-hiv-free). These could be [considered as](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/156093/what-is-considered-as-more-significant-creating-content-or-building-backlinks) the cells from which neurons in the developing neocortex derive, it had spent longer time for preparing their chromosomes for division in modern humans than in Neanderthals. This leads to fewer errors once chromosomes would get distributed to the daughter cells within modern humans than in Neanderthals or chimpanzees, and would have certain consequences for the way the brain develops and functions. This study would show cellular variations within the development of the brain between modern humans and Neanderthals. After the ancestors of modern humans got split from those of Neanderthals and **Denisovans**, their **Asian relatives**, about one hundred amino acids, the [building blocks](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/2557/what-are-the-core-building-blocks-of-android) of [proteins](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1809/protein-known-to-science-is-finally-predicted-by-artificial-intelligence) in cells and tissues got modified in modern humans and got spread to the almost all the modern humans. The biological significance of those changes is essentially unknown. However, six of these amino acids changes occurred in three proteins that would play key roles within the distribution of chromosomes, the carriers of genetic information, to the two daughter cells throughout the cell division. Also Read: [Neuralink, Elon Musk's trials to Link Human Brain to Computer Killed 15 Monkeys Out of 23](https://www.mindstick.com/news/1406/neuralink-elon-musk-s-trials-to-link-human-brain-to-computer-killed-15-monkeys-out-of-23) --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/1825/neanderthals-and-modern-humans-differentiate-in-brain-development Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.