Wisdom and Longevity: Evolution of Neural Substrates of Human Social & Emotional Functions

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1 Wisdom and Longevity: Evolution of Neural Substrates of Human Social & Emotional Functions Katerina Semendeferi Laboratory for Human Comparative Neuroanatomy University of California San Diego

2 Wisdom..an expectable but often missed outcome of adult development. Pascual Leone, expert knowledge in the fundamental pragmatics of life that permits exceptional insight, judgment, and advice about complex and uncertain matters.. Pasupathi et al., may be studied from a developmental perspective in typically developing and neuropsychiatric disorders to identify possible critical periods for wisdom development. Meeks and Jeste, 2009

3 DEVELOPMENT - Seeds of wisdom - significant age increments in performance Pasupathi et al., 2001 Adolescents: - lower levels of wisdom-related knowledge and judgment than adults

4 Adulthood Fronto-Limbic Damage Infancy (early-onset) Damasio et al, 1994 Conceptual knowledge relatively intact (good vs. bad decisions) Disruption of the application of this knowledge when needed. -disrupts acquisition of this conceptual knowledge during development -chronically handicaps the system by which relevant information is brought to bear on the social challenges at hand. Anderson et al., 1999

5 Conceptual and subject matter knowledge Wisdom is the promotion of common good and rising above self-interests, ie, exhibiting prosocial attitudes and behaviors, such as empathy, social cooperation, and altruism (Birren et al., 2005) Emotion and real-world competencies, including judgment, planning, and initiation.. frontolimbic circuitry (Anderson et al., 2006; Meeks and Jeste, 2009)

6 Fronto Limbic circuitry Frontal Striatum Amygdala What are the microscopic differences in: Typical versus Atypical Neurodevelopment? Evolution?

7 Branching of pyramidal neurons in the frontal cortex increases during development Petanjek et al., 2011

8 Neuronal Branching in Older Adults J. M. de Brabander, R. J. K. Kramers and H. B. M. Uylings 1998

9 Fronto Limbic Circuitry in Typical and Atypical Neurodevelopment: Williams Syndrome Morris et al.,, Lack of fear of strangers -Heightened empathy -Tendency towards excessive friendliness -Abnormal positive bias in their social judgments of unfamiliar individuals Bellugi et al., 1999 Rare, human neuro developmental disorder Hemi-deletion of genes on chromosome 7 Deletion of elastin Supravalvular aortic stenosis Distinctive facial features Affected cognitive functions* (Williams et al., 1961) Ursula Bellugi Frontolimbic circuitry?

10 Cortical Surface is reduced in WS Chailangkarn et al., 2016 Cortical layer V neurons in the Cortex: total dendritic length, number of spines segment number Branka Hrvoj- Mihic 2016

11 Decreased neuron density in frontal cortex, layers V/VI Sensory Motor Visual Frontal Lew et al., 2016 Neuronal branching is altered in frontal cortex, layer IIIc relative to motor, sensory, visual cortex Jacobs et al, 2001 Hrvoj Mihic et al., 2017

12 More neurons in lateral nucleus in infants and adults WS Amygdala Amaral et al., Caroline Lew et al, 2016

13 Increased glia to neuron ratio in the WS striatum Medial Caudate Associative Putamen Nucleus Accumbens Kari Hanson et al., 2017

14 Human FRONTAL CORTEX in humans is not larger than expected for an of human brain size Chimpanzee Gorilla Macaque Gibbon Orangutan Semendeferi et al., 1997; 2

15 The relative size distribution of areas within the frontal lobe differs btn apes & humans Semendeferi et al., 2002 Teffer & Semendeferi 2012 Some frontal cortex areas are relatively larger, others smaller

16 LCA Spacing of neurons: Prefrontal cortex changes took place after LCA Semendeferi/Teffer et al, 2011

17 Spacing of neurons in the Developing Cortex * Continues to increase from late childhood to adulthood in human PFC Teffer et al., 2013

18 Ape Human More space btn neuronal bodies 18

19 Neurons in lateral nucleus of amygdala stands out in humans Amygdala - unique organization in humans Lateral nucleus is the largest component (volume and number of neurons Apes have a largest basal nucleus Barger et al, JCN 2012

20 Orbitofrontal cortex is larger in humans, dorsal is smaller Barger, Hanson, et al. 2013

21 Evolutionary changes in Fronto Limbic system Amygdala Lateral Orbitofrontal cortex Striatum Medial caudate? Ventromedial Frontal? 21

22 Conclusions Wisdom recruits the fronto limbic system Some of the building blocks: - have changed over time - differ in typical versus atypical neurodevelopment Multilevel analyses from brains-neurons-molecules to genes to effects of the environment (social, ecological) in connection to longitudinal behavioral and life history studies are needed

23 Laboratory for Human Comparative Neuroanatomy Kari Hanson Branka Hrvoj Mihic Caroline Lew Horton Linnea Wilder Kim Groeniger Deion Cuevas Demi Greiner Special Thanks for Tissue Donations - Williams syndrome Association - Human and non human brain tissue banks -National Science Foundation -National Institute of Mental Health -Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research -Interdisciplinary Collaborative Fellowships, UCSD -Frontiers of Innovation Scholars Program, UCSD