PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Snakes on the brain: Are primates hard-wired to see snakes?

2013-10-29
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Andy Fell
ahfell@ucdavis.edu
530-752-4533
University of California - Davis
Snakes on the brain: Are primates hard-wired to see snakes? Was the evolution of high-quality vision in our ancestors driven by the threat of snakes? Work by neuroscientists in Japan and Brazil is supporting the theory originally put forward by Lynne Isbell, professor of anthropology at the University of California, Davis.

In a paper published Oct. 28 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Isbell; Hisao Nishijo and Quan Van Le at Toyama University, Japan; and Rafael Maior and Carlos Tomaz at the University of Brasilia, Brazil; and colleagues show that there are specific nerve cells in the brains of rhesus macaque monkeys that respond to images of snakes.

The snake-sensitive neurons were more numerous, and responded more strongly and rapidly, than other nerve cells that fired in response to images of macaque faces or hands, or to geometric shapes. Isbell said she was surprised that more neurons responded to snakes than to faces, given that primates are highly social animals.

"We're finding results consistent with the idea that snakes have exerted strong selective pressure on primates," Isbell said.

Isbell originally published her hypothesis in 2006, following up with a book, "The Fruit, the Tree and the Serpent" (Harvard University Press, 2009) in which she argued that our primate ancestors evolved good, close-range vision primarily to spot and avoid dangerous snakes.

Modern mammals and snakes big enough to eat them evolved at about the same time, 100 million years ago. Venomous snakes are thought to have appeared about 60 million years ago — "ambush predators" that have shared the trees and grasslands with primates.

Nishijo's laboratory studies the neural mechanisms responsible for emotion and fear in rhesus macaque monkeys, especially instinctive responses that occur without learning or memory. Previous researchers have used snakes to provoke fear in monkeys, he noted. When Nishijo heard of Isbell's theory, he thought it might explain why monkeys are so afraid of snakes.

"The results show that the brain has special neural circuits to detect snakes, and this suggests that the neural circuits to detect snakes have been genetically encoded," Nishijo said.

The monkeys tested in the experiment were reared in a walled colony and neither had previously encountered a real snake.

"I don't see another way to explain the sensitivity of these neurons to snakes except through an evolutionary path," Isbell said.

Isbell said she's pleased to be able to collaborate with neuroscientists.

"I don't do neuroscience and they don't do evolution, but we can put our brains together and I think it brings a wider perspective to neuroscience and new insights for evolution," she said.

### Other co-authors on the paper were: Jumpei Matsumoto, Minh Nguyen, Etsuro Hori, Anh Hai Tran and Taketoshi Ono at Toyama University. The work is an international collaboration under the Asian Core Program of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Eliminating unexplained traffic jams

2013-10-29
Eliminating unexplained traffic jams CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Everybody's experienced it: a miserable backup on the freeway, which you think must be caused by an accident or construction, but which at some point thins out for no apparent reason. Such "traffic ...

Sun continues to emit solar flares

2013-10-29
Sun continues to emit solar flares After emitting its first significant solar flares since June 2013 earlier in the week, the sun continued to produce mid-level and significant solar flares on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, 2013. Solar flares are powerful ...

Study challenges soil testing for potassium and the fertilizer value of potassium chloride

2013-10-29
Study challenges soil testing for potassium and the fertilizer value of potassium chloride URBANA, Ill. – In the chemical age of agriculture that began in the 1960s, potassium chloride (KCl), ...

Researchers turn to technology to discover a novel way of mapping landscapes

2013-10-29
Researchers turn to technology to discover a novel way of mapping landscapes University of Cincinnati researchers are blending technology with tradition, as they discover new and improved methods for mapping landscapes. The research is newly published in the Journal ...

OU research team finds a common bioindicator resistant to insecticides

2013-10-29
OU research team finds a common bioindicator resistant to insecticides In a novel study, a University of Oklahoma researcher and collaborators found a common bioindicator, Hyalella azteca, used to test the toxicity of water or sediment was resistant to insecticides used ...

An eye-opener: NASA sees Hurricane Raymond reborn for a brief time

2013-10-29
An eye-opener: NASA sees Hurricane Raymond reborn for a brief time Tropical Storm Raymond moved away from western Mexico and into warmer waters with less wind shear over the weekend of Oct. 26-27, where it strengthened into a hurricane again. NASA's Aqua satellite ...

NASA catches glimpse of the brief life of Southern Indian Ocean's first tropical cyclone

2013-10-29
NASA catches glimpse of the brief life of Southern Indian Ocean's first tropical cyclone The first tropical cyclone of the Southern Indian Ocean season lasted about one day. Tropical Cyclone 01S was born on Oct. 27 and by Oct. 28 had become a remnant low. The ...

Neutrons, electrons and theory reveal secrets of natural gas reserves

2013-10-29
Neutrons, electrons and theory reveal secrets of natural gas reserves Gas and oil deposits in shale have no place to hide from an Oak Ridge National Laboratory technique that provides an inside look at pores and reveals structural information potentially vital ...

The people's choice: Americans would pay to help monarch butterflies

2013-10-29
The people's choice: Americans would pay to help monarch butterflies Americans place high value on butterfly royalty. A recent study suggests they are willing to support monarch butterfly conservation at high levels, up to about 6 ½ billion dollars if extrapolated ...

UCSB researcher documents the enduring contaminant legacy of the California gold rush

2013-10-29
UCSB researcher documents the enduring contaminant legacy of the California gold rush (Santa Barbara, Calif.) –– An unintended legacy of California's gold rush, which began in 1848, endures today in the form of mercury-laden sediment. New research ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury

Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes

New research expands laser technology

Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain

A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers

Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes

CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds

Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies

Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design

KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity

More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia

“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues

What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?

A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists

Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script

Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories

Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds

Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR

New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications

State gun laws and firearm-related homicides and suicides

Use of tobacco and cannabis following state-level cannabis legalization

Long-term obesity and biological aging in young adults

Eindhoven University of Technology and JMIR Publications announce unlimited open access publishing agreement

Orphan nuclear receptors in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease development

A technological breakthrough for ultra-fast and greener AI

Pusan National University researchers identify key barriers hindering data-driven smart manufacturing adoption

Inking heterometallic nanosheets: A scalable breakthrough for coating, electronics, and electrocatalyst applications

[Press-News.org] Snakes on the brain: Are primates hard-wired to see snakes?