John Allman
Encyclopedia
John Morgan Allman is a neuroscientist at the California Institute of Technology
in Pasadena, California
and a well recognized expert on primates, cognition
and evolutionary neuroscience
.
, with a PhD.
In 2000, Allman's laboratory reported identification of a class of neurons - large spindle-shaped cells - unique to humans and our closest relatives, the great apes
. The spindle neuron
s were first located in layer V of the anterior cingulate cortex
(ACC), and later found in the frontoinsular cortex
.
Allman's team has reported reduced ACC size and metabolic activity in autistic patients, and activity of the ACC is also reduced in patients diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and depression
, whereas ACC activity is increased in patients with obsessive-compulsive, phobic, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety
disorders. The ACC is largely responsible for relaying waves of neural signals from deep within the brain to far flung regions, including Brodmann area 10
.
Spindle neurons may develop abnormally in people with autistic
disorders, and abnormalities may also be linked to schizophrenia
and Alzheimer's disease
, but research into these correlations is at a very early stage.
Allman studies brain
evolution
in mammals from multiple perspectives, and has created a number of 3d reconstructions of mammalian brains.
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
and a well recognized expert on primates, cognition
Cognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
and evolutionary neuroscience
Evolutionary neuroscience
Evolutionary neuroscience is an interdisciplinary scientific research field that studies the evolution of nervous systems. Evolutionary neuroscientists attempt to understand the evolution and natural history of nervous system structure and function. The field draws on concepts and findings from...
.
Life
He graduated from University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, with a PhD.
In 2000, Allman's laboratory reported identification of a class of neurons - large spindle-shaped cells - unique to humans and our closest relatives, the great apes
Great Apes
Great Apes may refer to*Great apes, species in the biological family Hominidae, including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans*Great Apes , a 1997 novel by Will Self...
. The spindle neuron
Spindle neuron
Spindle neurons, also called von Economo neurons , are a specific class of neurons that are characterized by a large spindle-shaped soma, gradually tapering into a single apical axon in one direction, with only a single dendrite facing opposite. Whereas other types of neurons tend to have many...
s were first located in layer V of the anterior cingulate cortex
Anterior cingulate cortex
The anterior cingulate cortex is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex, that resembles a "collar" form around the corpus callosum, the fibrous bundle that relays neural signals between the right and left cerebral hemispheres of the brain...
(ACC), and later found in the frontoinsular cortex
Insular cortex
In each hemisphere of the mammalian brain the insular cortex is a portion of the cerebral cortex folded deep within the lateral sulcus between the temporal lobe and the frontal lobe. The cortical area overlying it towards the lateral surface of the brain is the operculum...
.
Allman's team has reported reduced ACC size and metabolic activity in autistic patients, and activity of the ACC is also reduced in patients diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, whereas ACC activity is increased in patients with obsessive-compulsive, phobic, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
disorders. The ACC is largely responsible for relaying waves of neural signals from deep within the brain to far flung regions, including Brodmann area 10
Brodmann area 10
Brodmann area 10, or BA10 is the frontopolar part of the frontal cortex in the human brain. BA10 was originally defined in terms of cytoarchitectonic traits in autopsy brains; modern functional imaging research cannot directly identify these boundaries and the terms anterior prefrontal, rostral...
.
Spindle neurons may develop abnormally in people with autistic
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
disorders, and abnormalities may also be linked to schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
and Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, but research into these correlations is at a very early stage.
Allman studies brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
in mammals from multiple perspectives, and has created a number of 3d reconstructions of mammalian brains.
Works
- John Allman, Atiya Hakeem, J.M. Erwin, E. Nimchinsky, P. Hof (2001). 'Anterior cingulate cortex: The evolution of an interface between emotion and cognition', Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol 935, pp 107–117.
- John Allman, Atiya Hakeem, and Karli Watson (2002). 'Two phylogenetic specializations in the human brain', The Neuroscientist, Vol 8, No 4 pp 335–346.
- Eliot C. Bush, John M. Allman (2004). 'Three-dimensional structure and evolution of primate primary visual cortex', Anatomical Record, No 281A, pp 1088–1094.
- John Allman (2007). 'Moral intuition: Its neural substrates and normative significance', J Physiol Paris, 101 (4-6), pp 179-202.
- John Allman (1999). Evolving Brains. New York: Scientific American Library. ISBN 9780716750765
External links
- Caltech.edu - Allman Lab Homepage
- CrossRoadsInstitute.org - 'Humanity? Maybe It's in the Wiring', Sandra Blakeslee, New York Times (December 9, 2003)
- NewScientistJobs.com - 'Why are treatments for spinal injuries and diseases like Alzheimer's trailing so far behind our knowledge of the brain and nervous system?' Helen Philips, NewScientist, (October 16, 2004)