AJP July 2018

'''Cofran, Z. (2018). Brain size growth in wild and captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Primatology, e22876.'''

Because wild and captive populations of chimpanzees often show differences in body size and growth, Cofran (2018) sought to determine whether similar differences are observed in brain growth rate and growth duration in captive and wild chimpanzees. Previous findings suggest brain growth may be impervious to environmental influences, considering the evolutionary importance of proper brain functioning. It was found that there are little differences in brain growth rate and duration between the wild and captive chimpanzee populations. The author suggests that this insulation from environmental influences may be due to the high selective pressure for efficient and timely brain development and functioning and to the heritability of brain size among nonhuman primates. However, Cofran (2018) also cautions against over-interpretation of the results when taking into account the influences of social deprivation on nonhuman primate brain development and function.