Understanding the link between brain evolution and the evolution of distinctive features of modern human cognition is a fundamental challenge. A still unresolved question concerns the co-evolution of tool behavior (i.e., tool use or tool making) and language. The shared neurocognitive processes hypothesis suggests that the emergence of the combinatorial component of language skills within the frontal lobe/Broca's area made possible the complexification of tool-making skills. The importance of the frontal lobe/Broca's area in tool behavior is somewhat surprising with regard to the literature on neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience, which has instead stressed the critical role of the left inferior parietal lobe. Therefore, to be complete, any version of the shared neurocognitive processes hypothesis needs to integrate the potential interactions between the frontal lobe/Broca's area and the left inferior parietal lobe as well as their co-evolution at a phylogenetic level. Here, we sought to provide the first elements of answer through the use of the massive deployment framework, which posits that evolutionarily older brain areas are deployed in more cognitive functions (i.e., they are less specific). We focused on the left parietal cortex, and particularly the left areas PF, PGI, and anterior intraparietal (AIP), which are known to be involved in tool use, language, and motor control, respectively. The deployment of each brain area in different cognitive functions was measured by conducting a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Our results confirmed the pattern of specificity for each brain area and also showed that the left area PGI was far less specific than the left areas PF and AIP. From these findings, we discuss the different evolutionary scenarios depicting the potential co-evolution of the combinatorial and generative components of language and tool behavior in our lineage.

中文翻译：

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关于工具行为和语言的神经认知共同进化：来自大规模重新部署框架的见解

理解大脑进化与现代人类认知特征的进化之间的联系是一项基本挑战。一个仍未解决的问题涉及工具行为（即工具使用或工具制造）和语言的共同演化。共享神经认知过程假说表明，在额叶/布罗卡区出现的语言技能组合成分使工具制造技能的复杂化成为可能。就神经心理学和认知神经科学的文献而言，额叶/布罗卡区在工具行为中的重要性有些令人惊讶，这些文献反而强调了左下顶叶的关键作用。因此，要完整，任何版本的共享神经认知过程假设都需要整合额叶/布罗卡区和左下顶叶之间的潜在相互作用以及它们在系统发育水平上的共同进化。在这里，我们试图通过使用大规模部署框架来提供答案的第一个元素，该框架假定进化上较老的大脑区域被部署在更多的认知功能中（即它们不太具体）。我们专注于左侧顶叶皮层，特别是左侧区域 PF、PGI 和前顶内 (AIP)，已知它们分别参与工具使用、语言和运动控制。通过对神经影像学研究进行荟萃分析来测量每个大脑区域在不同认知功能中的部署。我们的结果证实了每个大脑区域的特异性模式，并且还表明左侧区域 PGI 的特异性远低于左侧区域 PF 和 AIP。根据这些发现，我们讨论了不同的进化场景，这些场景描绘了我们世系中语言和工具行为的组合和生成组件的潜在共同进化。