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The Genetic Architecture And Evolution Of Brain Cortical Folding In A Pedigreed Primate Population, Elizabeth Grace Atkinson

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elevated neurological faculty, related to the dramatic increase in brain volume, is a hallmark of the primates. Cognitive capacity, the processing power and speed of the brain, is directly related to the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex and the connectivity network underlying information processing in the brain. Increased cortical folding (gyrification) allows for more neurons to be contained within the volume of the braincase and the arrangement of folds and ridges across the cerebral cortex is an indication of the underlying neural network connecting regions. The goal of this dissertation is to develop a better understanding of the …