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ScienceQuiet 10d · day 13

Neuroscientists propose evolutionary origin of brain's cross-wired motor control

Wessendorf and Wang's new research explores how and why the brain's contralateral pathways—where each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body—may have evolved.

newest coverage 10d agosummary written 12d ago10 pieces3 likes & upvotes NewswiresGoogle NewsHacker News

What to know

  • A new Frontiers in Neuroanatomy article by Wessendorf and Wang proposes a novel hypothesis explaining why the brain evolved to have each hemisphere control the opposite side of the body—a phenomenon present across all four-limbed vertebrates.
  • The research traces the evolutionary origin to the optic tectum, an ancient brain structure conserved across all vertebrate species, where visual information from each field is already mapped to the opposite side of the brain.
  • Two major sensory pathways (dorsal column and spinothalamic tract) and motor pathways all exhibit this cross-midline organization and are conserved across tetrapod species including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Dr. Martin Wessendorf Neuroscientist, University of MinnesotaDaniel Wang Neuroscientist

Neuroscientists propose evolutionary origin of brain's cross-wired motor control
frontiersin.org

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 5 pieces in 3h at Oct 27, 12 AM; 10 pieces over 13 days (9 articles · 1 post) Oct 27, 12 AM — 5 pieces · 5 articles — Google News 4, Newswires 1Oct 27, 3 AM — quietOct 27, 6 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Hacker News 1, Google News 1Oct 27, 9 AM — quietOct 27, 12 PM — quietOct 27, 3 PM — quietOct 27, 6 PM — quietOct 27, 9 PM — quietOct 28, 12 AM — quietOct 28, 3 AM — quietOct 28, 6 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Oct 28, 9 AM — quietOct 28, 12 PM — quietOct 28, 3 PM — quietOct 28, 6 PM — quietOct 28, 9 PM — quietOct 29, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Oct 29, 3 AM — quietOct 29, 6 AM — quietOct 29, 9 AM — quietOct 29, 12 PM — quietOct 29, 3 PM — quietOct 29, 6 PM — quietOct 29, 9 PM — quietOct 30, 12 AM — quietOct 30, 3 AM — quietOct 30, 6 AM — quietOct 30, 9 AM — quietOct 30, 12 PM — quietOct 30, 3 PM — quietOct 30, 6 PM — quietOct 30, 9 PM — quietOct 31, 12 AM — quietOct 31, 3 AM — quietOct 31, 6 AM — quietOct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 12 PM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 6 PM — quietOct 31, 9 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 2 AM — quietNov 1, 5 AM — quietNov 1, 8 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 11 AM — quiet 1–2
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  1. 2

    Full article details evolutionary pathway from visual processing to motor control

    The published research traces the evolutionary basis for contralateral organization starting with how the eye's lens reverses images on the retina, directing right visual fields to the left brain hemisphere. The article examines the optic tectum (superior colliculus in mammals)—an ancient vertebrate structure present across all vertebrate species—and then explores two conserved sensory pathways (dorsal column and spinothalamic tract) and motor pathways (including the tectospinal pathway) that all cross the body's midline.

    “The optic tectum is present in all vertebrate species and, as a result, appears to be among the oldest neuroanatomical structures in vertebrates.”
    — Dr. Martin Wessendorf and Daniel Wang
    1. 2 outlets Why the Left Brain Controls the Right Body

      first by Neuroscience News, 11d ago · also The Brighter Side of News

      1 more headline
    2. 2 outlets Why the Right Brain Runs the Left Body: An Evolutionary Story of Crossed Wiring

      first by Bioengineer.org, 12d ago · also Mirage News

      2 more headlines
  2. 1

    Wessendorf and Wang publish evolutionary hypothesis on brain's contralateral pathways

    Neuroscientists Martin Wessendorf (University of Minnesota, brainstem and spinal cord function) and Daniel Wang (cognitive neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases) publish research in Frontiers in Neuroanatomy exploring the evolutionary origins of cross-wired neural circuits in four-limbed animals, where one side of the brain connects to the opposite side of the body.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets Evolutionary history reveals why brains connect to opposite bodies - News-Medical

    first by Google News · Science, 12d ago · also The Times of India

    1 more headline