Paleo Magazine – August-September 2019

128 August/September 2019

By Darryl Edwards

ccording to a growing number of research scientists,

evolution of the human body and development

of the human brain may be linked. You’ve heard

the term “survival of the fittest,” right? That term,

commonly used to describe how evolution works, applies

to the physical and mental fitness levels that allowed our

ancestors to thrive.

Think back to the days of the earliest hunter-gatherers.

At that time, the primary mechanism for survival was

physical movement. The ability to outrun a wild animal

or forage far and wide for fruits, nuts, and other sources

of nutrients was crucial. Those who were particularly

good at these activities survived.

These physically gifted humans

were therefore the ones who were

able to pass on their genes to the

next generation. But there’s another

important factor here: mental

activity. The earliest humans didn’t

need to merely outrun the local

animals; they also had to outwit

and outplan them. So the fittest

also included those early hunter-

gatherers with the most advanced

mental activity. The very fittest were

those with superior physical and

psychological capacity.

A concept known as motricity

makes the logical connection between

evolution, movement, and the brain.

According to this motricity, the need to

generate physical movement to gain and compete for energy

resources and survival provided the initial stimulus for

mental activity and ability.

In short, the “moving brain” soon developed into

the “thinking brain.” As neuroscientist Rodolfo Llinas

has pointed out, “That which we call thinking is an

evolutionary internalization of movement.”

The part of the brain responsible for enabling agile

movement is located in the same part of the brain—the

frontal lobe—used for thinking and planning.

Using what we now know about genes and the way

traits are passed on to the next generation, it’s not out of

the question to surmise that the genes used to code for

cognition might be related to the genes used to code for

things like activity and metabolism. The same brain motor

functions that increased the chances of obtaining food

could have become linked to the brain motor activities

used for higher-order executive functions like prediction

(e.g., when will the next predator arrive?) and perception

(e.g. how can we better become aware of danger?).

If there is, indeed, an evolutionary link between

movement and the brain, it’s worth asking the following

question: What is modern Western culture—in which

we spend so much of our time just sitting around—doing

to our brains?

We like to think modern digital

culture is making us smarter or more

advanced, but if, as a result of our

sedentary lifestyle, the part of the brain

responsible for motor function and

movement is not being developed, then

it follows that the part responsible for

cognition is also not being developed.

The worst-case scenario might mean

a severing of the genetic pathways

that fused movement and brain

development. And that could have

very profound evolutionary

consequences for future generations.

Fixing the Mind-Body Problem

with Movement

Quadrupedal movements—that is, movements where all

four limbs are being used for locomotion—engage both our

mind and body at the same time. Each side of the brain is

responsible for controlling the opposite side of the body. As

you move front-to-back, back-to-front, and side-to-side,

both sides of the brain must communicate to process these

challenging signals. Over

the long term, quadrupedal movement patterns may

provide a cognitive boost, and a way to improve memory,

focus, and productivity.

For better cognition, add the following quadrupedal-

movement circuit to your play or exercise routine.

Brain Evolution

through

movement

a

movement

What is modern

Western culture—

in which we

spend so much of

our time just sitting

around—doing

to our brains?