In a new JNeurosci paper, Julie Royo, from the Institute of Cerveau, and colleagues explored the neuroanatomy that underlies social dominance in nonhuman primates.
The researchers focused on brain tracts associated with human emotion, motivation, and memory as they assessed structural brain properties and behavioral measures of social dominance in 15 squirrel monkeys. These behavioral measures were related to hierarchy, aggression, and submission. Royo and colleagues found that one of the brain tracts they focused on—the uncinate fasciculus—highly correlated with their social dominance measures. This correlation was particularly true for the uncinate fasciculus in the right hemisphere of the brain.
These findings support human studies linking this brain region to social aggression, suggesting this may be an evolutionarily conserved substrate for social dominance across species.
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About JNeurosci
JNeurosci was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today, the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact, while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship.
About The Society for Neuroscience
The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries.
JNeurosci
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1646-24.2025
Evidence for an Evolutionary Continuity in Social Dominance: Insights from Nonhuman Primates Tractography
21-Jul-2025
The authors declare no competing financial interests.