According to a new study, the human brain is superior to that of chimpanzees even though chimpanzees are intelligent creatures capable of solving some complex problems, Insight Ticker reports.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study says that the human brain is more responsive to environmental changes compared to brain of chimpanzees, among other factors that make the human brain superior to the brain of a chimpanzee.
For the study, researchers studied included about 206 chimpanzee brains and 218 human brains using several techniques, including an MRI scan.
After carrying out the MRI scans, researchers created 3-D models of each brain. The human brains were from twins (identical and fraternal) or siblings, while the chimpanzee brains had a variety of relationships, including mothers and descendants or half siblings, Pulse Headlines reports.
Aida Gómez-Robles, an anthropologist from the George Washington University and lead author of the study, said, "We found that the anatomy of the chimpanzee brain is more strongly controlled by genes than that of human brains, suggesting the human brain is extensively shaped by its environment no matter its genetics".
The study revealed that the human brain had more plasticity than the chimp's brain. The researchers discovered that closely related creatures in both the species have similar brain volumes, but brain structure was different.
The study also revealed that while the brain structure of humans was less influenced by genes, the brain structure of the chimps was inherited.
"The human brain appears to be much more responsive to environmental influences," said Dr. Gómez-Robles, Science Daily reports.
"It's something that facilitates the constant adaptation of the human brain and behavior to the changing environment, which includes our social and cultural context."
The study also showed that brain of human is more responsive to external influences.
