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Beyond the cortex–integrating hippocampal function into the Social Brain Hypothesis to explain advanced cognition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2025

Edward Ruoyang Shi Open the ORCID record for Edward Ruoyang Shi [Opens in a new window]
Edward Ruoyang Shi*
Affiliation:
Mental Health Education Center, Pearl River College, Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, 301811 Tianjin, China edwardshiruoyangend@gmail.com
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

The Social Brain Hypothesis (SBH) connects primate brain size to social complexity but faces empirical limitations. We propose expanding the SBH by incorporating hippocampal functions across species, demonstrating how cognition emerges from both social and ecological pressures. This extended framework moves beyond cortical-centric models, providing a comprehensive understanding of brain evolution and the origins of human cognitive abilities, including language.

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Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 48 , 2025 , e182
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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