Dr Natalie Uomini | Paleoneurology and functional brain imaging to study the evolution of tools and language

Humans have unique forms of language and tool-making, yet their origins are poorly understood. Some theories propose a co-evolution of both skills due to a common "grammar of action", potentially using shared brain networks. To test this theory, I integrate methods from archaeology, neuroscience, and fossil brain evolution (paleoneurology). I will present data from my own research and the published work of others, on the functional neuroimaging of stone tool-making, cognitive archaeology, and what we know about the brain anatomy of fossil human ancestors since 4 million years ago. Bringing together the diverse lines of evidence, I propose that Broca's area is a promising region involved in the evolution of language and tool-making skills. In particular, hierarchical grammatical processing is a potential key skill that evolved for stone tool manufacture and enabled the complexity of human language.

Poster