{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T10:58:59Z","timestamp":1789037939427,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":67,"publisher":"National Academy of Sciences","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777507200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Brain Science and Brain-like Intelligence Technology - National Science and Technology Major Project","award":["2021ZD0200203"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021ZD0200203"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["82472061"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["82472061"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["82202253"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["82202253"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["62250058"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["62250058"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002858","name":"China Postdoctoral Science Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2022M722915"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022M722915"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002858","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002858","name":"China Postdoctoral Science Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2024M761725"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024M761725"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002858","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100018571","name":"Guangxi Science and Technology Base and Talent Special Project","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["AD22035125"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["AD22035125"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100018571","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.pnas.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The arcuate fasciculus (af) is a crucial dorsal pathway underpinning human language, yet its weak frontal connectivity in macaques\u2014the standard primate model\u2014creates an evolutionary puzzle. Here, we investigate the common marmoset, a distantly related platyrrhine with high vocal complexity, to test for convergent neural adaptations. By integrating retrograde and anterograde tracing with ultra-high-resolution diffusion MRI, we identified a robust af homolog in marmosets that is anatomically distinct from the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Comparative mapping across marmosets, macaques, chimpanzees, and humans reveals a notable similarity in connectivity patterns: The marmoset af terminates extensively in the ventrolateral frontal cortex, exhibiting a connectivity profile significantly more similar to humans than to that of the phylogenetically closer macaque. Functionally, this pathway targets cortical regions activated during vocal exchanges, partially overlapping with the human speech network. These findings suggest that the frontal connectivity of the dorsal audio-motor pathway is not strictly determined by phylogenetic proximity but represents an evolutionarily labile scaffold that undergoes lineage-specific elaboration under pressure associated with complex vocal communication.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2600429123","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T18:03:43Z","timestamp":1777572223000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.cm10313","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Homologous specialization of arcuate fasciculus ventrolateral frontal connectivity in marmosets and humans"],"prefix":"10.1073","volume":"123","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-7350-875X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yufan","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Beijing Key Laboratory of Brainnetome and Brain-Computer Interface, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"name":"Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05qbk4x57","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4890-7424","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luqi","family":"Cheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Guilin University of Electronic Technology","place":["Guilin, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deying","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Beijing Key Laboratory of Brainnetome and Brain-Computer Interface, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"name":"Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05qbk4x57","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuheng","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03cve4549","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03cve4549","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Tsinghua University","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3480-1853","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"William D.","family":"Hopkins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04twxam07","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center","place":["Bastrop"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6711-449X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chet C.","family":"Sherwood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University","place":["Washington"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0065-3832","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ting","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01bfgxw09","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Center for the Integrative Developmental Neuroscience, Child Mind Institute","place":["New York"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7986-4615","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cirong","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/034t30j35","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Shanghai, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05qbk4x57","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/034t30j35","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Models, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8695-7951","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George","family":"Paxinos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research and The University of New South Wales","place":["Sydney, Australia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9531-291X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tianzi","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Beijing Key Laboratory of Brainnetome and Brain-Computer Interface, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"name":"Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05qbk4x57","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/016m2r485","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Xiaoxiang Institute for Brain Health and Yongzhou Central Hospital","place":["Yongzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Congying","family":"Chu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Beijing Key Laboratory of Brainnetome and Brain-Computer Interface, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"name":"Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4813-621X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lingzhong","family":"Fan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Beijing Key Laboratory of Brainnetome and Brain-Computer Interface, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"name":"Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05qbk4x57","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences","place":["Beijing, China"]},{"name":"School of Life Sciences and Health, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences","place":["Qingdao, China"]},{"name":"Shandong Key Lab of Complex Medical Intelligence and Aging, Shandong Medical And Pharmaceutical University","place":["Yantai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"341","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_1_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2021.12.013"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-020-0623-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-017-0184-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nn2072"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.53232"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3000810"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-neuro-030520-101844"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.siny.2012.07.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2313831121"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1516120113"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.00228.2015"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2016.12.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2022.104692"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2016.03.018"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2013.09.005"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conb.2005.07.003"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2632-07.2007"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-neuro-100220-025942"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cne.24023"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-020-14858-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2023.04.028"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3002158"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41593-019-0575-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2018.05.005"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.35237"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pbio.3000971"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2020.116923"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-023-02709-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41592-024-02270-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41597-021-00904-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.22578"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41597-023-02121-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/cercor\/bhw157"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_34_2","article-title":"The chimpanzee Brainnetome Atlas reveals distinct connectivity and gene expression profiles relative to humans","volume":"6","author":"Wang Y.","year":"2025","unstructured":"Y. Wang , The chimpanzee Brainnetome Atlas reveals distinct connectivity and gene expression profiles relative to humans. Innovation 6, 100755 (2025).","journal-title":"Innovation"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_35_2","volume-title":"The Marmoset Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates","author":"Paxinos G.","year":"2012","unstructured":"G. Paxinos, C. Watson, M. Petrides, M. G. Rosa, H. Tokuno, The Marmoset Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates (Elsevier Academic Press, 2012)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_36_2","volume-title":"Atlas of the Human Brain","author":"Mai J. K.","year":"2015","unstructured":"J. K. Mai, M. Majtanik, G. Paxinos, Atlas of the Human Brain (Academic Press, 2015)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_37_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1096-9861(19990920)412:2<319::AID-CNE10>3.0.CO;2-7"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2018.09.008"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2020.117346"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.1635"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003-024-06002-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/jn.01003.2014"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2371-14.2015"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bandl.2013.05.005"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2011.03.004"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1902299116"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-811829-0.00003-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2221756120"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1722426115"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003-024-06764-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.adp3757"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2122345119"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_53_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0405-25.2025"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2017.05.004"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ncomms14046"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1098\/rstb.2025.0097"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2421095122"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-025-58784-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.74653"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.65012"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7554\/eLife.86327"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2118295119"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2017-24.2025"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2021.08.032"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.ado4341"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-017-01285-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_67_2","unstructured":"Y. Wang Homologous Specialization of Arcuate Fasciculus Ventrolateral Frontal Connectivity in Marmosets and Humans. GitHub. https:\/\/github.com\/FANLabCASIA\/MarmosetWM. Deposited 23 December 2025."}],"container-title":["Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/pnas.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1073\/pnas.2600429123","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T18:04:18Z","timestamp":1777572258000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2600429123"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"references-count":67,"journal-issue":{"issue":"18","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1073\/pnas.2600429123"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2600429123","relation":{},"ISSN":["0027-8424","1091-6490"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0027-8424","type":"print"},{"value":"1091-6490","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-01-06","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-03-23","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-04-30","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e2600429123"}}