Decoding the Energetic Costs and Evolution of Human Intelligence

A new study published in Science Advances reveals that certain areas of the human brain involved in complex cognitive functions require significantly more energy than others. This challenges the belief that larger brain sizes are solely responsible for our cognitive abilities. The study found a linear relationship between the brain's glucose metabolism and its functional connectivity, with frontoparietal networks responsible for high-level cognitive tasks using up to 67% more energy than areas involved in basic sensory or motor functions. The research also suggests that the development of energy-intensive brain regions, regulated by neuromodulators like dopamine and serotonin, may be crucial to the evolution of human cognition.