Curious monkeys have increased gray matter density in the precuneus

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• 作者：Kimberley A. Phillips^a ; ^b ; ^{Kimberley.Phillips@Trinity.edu} ; Francys Subiaul^c ; Chet C. Sherwood^d
• 关键词：Curiosity ; Exploratory behavior ; Cebus ; VBM
• 刊名：Neuroscience Letters
• 出版年：2012
• 期刊代码：52_03043940
• 类别：neu
• 出版时间：19 June, 2012
• 卷：518
• 期：2
• 页码：172-175
• 文件大小：560 K

摘要

Curiosity is a cornerstone of cognition that has the potential to lead to innovations and increase the behavioral repertoire of individuals. A defining characteristic of curiosity is inquisitiveness directed toward novel objects. Species differences in innovative behavior and inquisitiveness have been linked to social complexity and neocortical size . In this study, we observed behavioral actions among nine socially reared and socially housed capuchin monkeys in response to an unfamiliar object, a paradigm widely employed as a means to assess curiosity. K-means hierarchical clustering analysis of the behavioral responses revealed three monkeys engaged in significantly more exploratory behavior of the novel object than other monkeys. Using voxel-based-morphometry analysis of MRIs obtained from these same subjects, we demonstrated that the more curious monkeys had significantly greater gray matter density in the precuneus, a cortical region involved in highly integrated processes including memory and self-awareness. These results linking variation in precuneus gray matter volume to exploratory behavior suggest that monitoring states of self-awareness may play a role in cognitive processes mediating individual curiosity.