2025, 2026

66. Manger, P.R, Benoit, J., Bhagwandin, A., Spocter, M.A., Weisbecker, V., Farke, A.A., Rule, J.P., McDonald, A., Adams, J.W., Lang, M.M., Bertand, O.C., Racicot, R., Marino, L., Hof, P.R. Veronese do Amaral, R., Bruner, E., Neubauer, S., & Smaers, J. (Under Review). Neurothermodynamics as contributing factor shaping the mammalian brain. In The Evolution of Nervous Systems (Volume 4) : A comprehensive reference (Editor by John Kaas). Elsevier Link

65.Malungo, I.B., Ngwenya, A., Bertelsen, M.F., Spocter, M.A., Thannickal T.C., Siegel, J.M., & Manger, P.R (2025). The complexly parcellated, yet quantitatively paradoxical, orexinergic/ hypocretinergic system of humans. Journal of Comparative Neurology. Link  

64. Hopkins, W.D., Spocter, M.A., Mulholland, M.M., & Sherwood, C.C. (2025). Gray matter volume and asymmetry in Broca’s and Wernicke’s area homolog in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Using a probabilistic region of interest approach. NeuroImage. link    

63. Baer, E., Nguyen, P.D., Lilly, S., Song, J., Yee, M., Matz, O., Sahasrabudhe, R.,Hall, D.R., La, S., Merritt, B.J., Mahesh, P., Eliacin, C., Bitterman, K., Oddes, D., Bertelsen, M.F., Tang, C.Y., Cook, P.F., Mars, R.B., Hof, P.R., Dunn, R., Manger, P.R., Sherwood, C.C., & Spocter, M.A. (2025). Predictive methods and probabilistic mapping of subcortical brain components in fossil Carnivora. Journal of Comparative Neurology. link  ​​​

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2023, 2024

62.Boch, M., Karadachka, K., Kee Loh, K., Benn, R.A., Roumazeilles, L., Bertelsen, M.F., Manger, P.R., Wriggelsworth, E., Spiro, S., Spocter, M.A., Johnson, P., Souza, K., Patzke, N., Lamm, C., Sallet, J., Khrapitchev, A.A., Tendler, B.C., & Mars, R.B. (2024). Comparative neuroimaging of the Carnivoran brain: Cortical sulci. eLife [link]. 1 November , 2024. link 

61. Foster, M., Dwibhashyam, S., Patel, D., Gupta, K., Matz, O.C., Billings, B.K., Bitterman, K., Bertelson, M., Tang, C.Y., Mars, R. B., Raghanti, M.R., How, P.R., Sherwood, C.C., Manger, P.R., & Spocter, M.A. (2024). Comparative anatomy of the caudate nucleus in canids and felids: Associations with brain size, curvature, cross-sectional properties and behavioral ecology. Journal of Comparative Neurology. link 

60. Mazengenya, P., Spocter, M.A., & Manger, P.R. (2024). Nuclear parcellation and numbers of orexinergic neurons in five species of larger brained birds. Journal of Comparative Neurology. link. 

59.Nelson, J., Woeste, E.M., Oba, K., Bitterman, K., Billings, B. K., Sacco, J., Jacobs, B., Sherwood, C.C., Manger, P.R., Spocter , M.A. (2024). Neuropil variation in the prefrontal, motor and visual cortex of six felids. Brain, Behavior and Evolution. link

58. Sacco, J., Starr, E., Weaver, A., Dietz, R., & Spocter , M.A. (2023). Resequencing of the TMF-1 (TATA Element Modulatory Factor) regulated protein (TRNP1) gene in domestic and wild canids. Canine Medicine & Genetics. link

57. Oddes, D., Ngwenya, A., Malungo, I. B., Burkevica, A., Hard, T., Bertelsen, M. F., Spocter, M.A., Scantlebury, DM., & Manger, P.R. (2023). Orexinergic neurons in the hypothalami of an Asiatic lion, an African lion and a Southeast African cheetah. Journal of Comparative Neurology. link

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2021, 2022

56.  Spocter, M.A. (2022). The 42nd Annual Meeting of the J.B. Johnston Club for Evolutionary Neuroscience and the 34th Annual Karger Workshop in Evolutionary Neuroscience. Brain, Behavior and Evolution. link

55. Matz, O.C., & Spocter, M.A. (2022). The Effect of Huntington’s Disease on the Basal Nuclei: A Review. Cureus  - link

54. Dayal, M.R., Billings, B.K., Brits, D., Abdallah, A., Spocter,  M.A., &  Bidmos, M.A. (2022). Sex estimation from dimensions of the base of the skull in Black South Africans. Anthropologischer Anzeiger (The Journal of Biological and Clinical Anthropology). - link

53. Spocter, M.A. (2021). The 41st Annual Meeting of the J.B. Johnston Club for Evolutionary Neuroscience and the 33rd Annual Karger Workshop in Evolutionary Neuroscience. Brain, Behavior and Evolution. link

52. Swiegers, J., Bhagwandin, A., Maseko, B. C., Sherwood, C.C., Hard, T., Bertelsen, M. F., Spocter, M.A., Molnar, Z., & Manger, P.R. (2021). The distribution, number and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in the brains of a southern lesser galago, a  black-capped squirrel monkey and a  crested macaque. Journal of Comparative Neurology.-link

51. Manger, P.R., Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Bhagwandin, A., Karlson, K.AE., Bertelsen, M.F., Alagaili, A.N., Bennett, N.C., Mohammed, O.B., Herculano-Houzel, S., Hof, P.R., & Fuxe, K (2021). Amplification of potential thermogenic mechanisms in cetacean brains compared to artiodactyl brains. Scientific Reports 11, 5486  -link

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2019, 2020

50. Spocter, M.A.,  Sherwood,  C.C., Schapiro, S.J., & Hopkins, W.D. (2020). Reproducibility of Leftward Planum Temporale Asymmetries in Two Genetically Isolated Populations of Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B. 287, 1934  -link 

49. Chengetania, S., Bhagwandin, A., Bertelson, M,F., Hard, T., Hof, P.R., Spocter, M.A & Manger, P.R. (2020). The brain of the African wild dog. II. The olfactory system. Journal of Comparative Neurology.-link

48. Chengetania, S., Tenley, J., Bertelson, M,F., Hard, T., Bhagwandin, A., Haagensen, M., Tang, C., Wicinski, B., Hof, P.R., Manger, P.R., & Spocter, M.A (2020). The brain of the African wild dog. I. Anatomy, architecture and volumetrics. Journal of Comparative Neurology. -link

47.  Chengetania, S., Bhagwandin, A., Bertelson, M, F., Hard, T., Hof, P.R., Spocter, M.A., & Manger, P.R (2020). The brain of the African wild dog. III. The auditory system. Journal of Comparative Neurology.-link

46.  Chengetania, S., Bhagwandin, A., Bertelson, M, F., Hard, T., Hof, P.R., Spocter, M.A., & Manger, P.R (2020). The brain of the African wild dog. IV. The visual system. Journal of Comparative Neurology.-link

45.  Grewal, J.S., Gloe, T., Hegedus, J., Bitterman, K., Billings, B., Chengetanai, S., Bentil, S., Ng, J., Wang, V., Tang, C.C., Geletta, S., Wicinski, B., Bertelson, M., Tendler, B.C., Mars, R., Aquirre, G.K., Rusbridge, C., Hof, P.R., Sherwood, C.C., Manger, P.R., & Spocter, M.A. (2020). Brain gyrification in wild and domestic canids: Has domestication changed the gyrification index in domestic dogs? Journal of Comparative Neurology. -link

44. Finneran, K., Aoki, T., Barnes, M. J., & Spocter, M.A., (2020). Evolutionary Medicine. In: T. K. Shackelford, & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. New York, NY: Springer Cham.-link

43. Braken, E., Billings, B.K., Barnes, M. J., & Spocter, M.A., (2020). The evolution of tool use. In: T. K. Shackelford, & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. New York, NY: Springer Cham.-link

42.  Spocter, M.A., (2020). Adaptation. In: T. K. Shackelford, & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. New York, NY: Springer Cham.-link

41. Haas, J., Hass, R., Spocter, M.A., & de  Sousa, A.A (2020). Human Visual Neuroscience. In: T. K. Shackelford, & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. New York, NY: Springer Cham.-link

40. Nguyen, V., Uchida, R., Warling A., Sloan, LJ., Dodelson, C., Shin, R., Wicinski, B., Bitterman, K., Bertelsen, MF., Stimpson, CD., Schall, M., Hof, PR., Sherwood, CC., Manger, PR., Spocter, M.A., & Jacobs, B (2020). Comparative neocortical neuromorphology in felids: African lion (Panthera leo), African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). Journal of Comparative Neurology.-link

39. Imam, A., Bhagwandin, A., Ajao, M.S., Spocter, M.A., & Manger, P.R (2019). The brain of the tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis). IV. The brainstem and cerebellum. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 527(15):2440-2473.-link

38. Spocter, M.A. (2019, 24th March), Hypothesis. Video Descriptor: A short hypothesis video created for the Go2Science platform. This video provides elementary school learners with an introduction to Cetaceans and the concept of relative abundance. Retrieved from: https://www.go2science.com. - link

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2017, 2018

37. Spocter, M.A., Fairbanks, J., Locey, L., Nguyen, A., Bitterman, K., Dunn, R., Sherwood, C.C., Geletta, S., Dell, L.A., Patzke, N & Manger, P.R (2018). Neuropil distribution in the anterior cingulate and occipital cortex of artiodactyls. Anatomical Record (Hoboken), 301:1871–1881-link

36. Imam, A., Bhagwandin, A., Ajao, M.S., Spocter, M.A., Ihunwo, A.O., & Manger, P.R (2018). The brain of the tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis). II. The olfactory system. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 526(16):2548-2569.-link

35.  Spocter, M.A., Uddin, A., Ng, J., Wong, E., Wang, V.X., Tang, C., Wicinski, B., Haas, J., Bitterman, K., Raghanti, M.R.,Dunn, R., Hof, P.R., Sherwood, C.C., Jovanovik, J., Rusbridge, C., & Manger, P.R (2018). Scaling of the corpus callosum in wild and domestic canids: Insights into the domesticated brain. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 526(15):2341-2359. -link

34.  Pettigrew, J.D., Bhagwandin, A., Spocter, M.A., Dell, L.A., Davimes, J., & Manger, P.R (2018). Hands of living San resemble those in paleolithic stencils, not modern Europeans. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 73(1): 1-7.-link

33. Jacobs, B., Garcia, M.E., Shea-Shumsky, N.B., Tennison, M.E., Sloan, L., Warling, A., Schall, M., Bull, A.J., Raghanti, M.A., Lewandowski, A.H., Wicinski, B., Chui, HK., Bertelsen, MF., Walsh, T., Bhagwandin, A., Spocter MA., Hof, PR., Sherwood, CC & Manger, PR (2018). Comparative morphology of gigantopyramidal neurons in primary motor cortex across mammals. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 526:496-536. -link

32. Olateju, O.I., Spocter, M.A., Patzke, N., Ihunwo, A.O., & Manger P.R (2018). Hippocampal neurogenesis in the C57BL/6J mice at early adulthood following chronic prenatal alcohol exposure. Metabolic Brain Disease, 33:397-410. -link

31. Lemert, J., & Spocter, M.A (2018). Brain Size and Intelligence. In: T. K. Shackelford, & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. New York, NY: Springer Cham.-link

30. Lemert, J., & Spocter, M.A (2018). The Evolution of the Brain. In: T. K. Shackelford, & V.A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. New York, NY: Springer Cham.-link

29.  Sweigers, J., Bhagwandin, A., Spocter, M.A., Kaswera-Kyamakya, C., Gilissen, E., Manger, P.R., & Maseko, B.C (2017). Nuclear organization of cholinergic, catecholaminergic, serotonergic and orexinergic neurons in two relatively large brained rodent species - the springhare (Pedetes capensis) and Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrel (Anomalurus beecrofti). Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 3;86:78-91.-link

28.  Spocter M.A., Patzke N., Manger P.R (2017). Cetacean Brains . In: Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, Elsevier. ISBN 9780128093245. -link

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2015, 2016

27.  Dell, L.A., Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Bertelsen, M., Siegel, J.M., & Manger, P.R (2016). Organization of the sleep related neural systems in the brain of the river hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius): a most unusual Cetartiodactyl species. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2016 Jul 1;524(10):2036-58. -link

26. Dell, L.A., Karlson, K.E., Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Siegel, J.M., & Manger, P.R (2016). Organization of the sleep related neural systems in the brain of the Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). Journal of Comparative Neurology, 524(10):2018-35.-link

25. Dell, L.A., Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Siegel, J.M., & Manger, P.R (2016). Organization of the sleep related neural systems in the brain of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Journal of Comparative Neurology, 524(10):1999-2017.-link

24. Dell, L.A., Spocter, M.A., Patzke, N., Karlson, K.E., Alagaili, A.N., Bennett, N.C., Siegel, J.M., & Manger, P.R (2015). Orexinergic bouton density is lower in the cerebral cortex of cetaceans compared to artiodactyls. Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 68:61-76. – link

23. Spocter, M.A., Raghanti, M.A., Butti, C., Hof, P.R., & Sherwood, C.C. (2015). The Minicolumn in a Comparative Context. In: Casanova, M & Opris, I (eds.) Recent Advances on the Modular Organization of the Cortex. Springer Publishing. –link

22. Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Karlson, KA., Bertelsen, M.F., Haagensen, M., Chawana, R., Streicher, S., Kaswera, C., Gilissen, E., Alagaili, A.N., Mohammed, O.B., Reep, R.L., Bennett, N.C., Bonfanti, L., Siegel, J.M., Ihunwo, A.O., & Manger, P.R. (2015). In contrast to many other mammals, cetaceans have relatively small hippocampi that appear to lack adult neurogenesis. Brain, Structure & Function, 220(1):361-83. –link

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2013, 2014

21.  Chawana, R., Alagaili, A., Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Mohammed, O.B., Kaswera, C., Gilissen, E., Bennett, N.C.,Ihunwo, A. & Manger, P.R. (2014). Microbats appear to have adult hippocampal neurogenesis but post-capture stress causes a rapid decline in the number of neurons expressing doublecortin. Neuroscience,  – link

20. -Butti, C., Fordyce, R.E., Raghanti, M.A., Gu, X., Bonar, C.J., Wicinski, B.A., Wong, E.W., Roman, J., Brake, A., Eaves, E., Spocter, M.A., Tang, C.Y., Jacobs, B., Sherwood, C.C., & Hof, P.R. (2014).The cerebral cortex of the pygmy hippopotamus, Hexaprotodon liberiensis (Cetartiodactyla, Hippopotamidae): MRI, cytoarchitecture, and neuronal morphology. Anatomical Record (Hoboken), 294(4):670-700, 2014 – link

19.  Manger, P.R., Spocter, M.A. & Patzke, N. (2013). The evolutions of large brain size in mammals- ‘the Over 700g Club Quartet’. Brain Behavior & Evolution 82 (1), 68-78., 2013 – link

18.  Ngwenya, A., Patzke, N., Spocter, M.A., Kruger, J., Dell, L., Chawana, R., Mazengenya, P., Billings, B.K., Olaleye, O., Herculano-Houzel, S., & Manger, P.R. (2013).The continuously growing central nervous system of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). Anatomical Record (Hoboken) 296, 1489-1500, 2013 – link

17. -Maseko, B.C., Jacobs, B., Spocter, M.A., Sherwood, C.C., Hof, P.R., & Manger, P.R. (2013). Qualitative and quantitative aspects of the microanatomy of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) cerebellar cortex. Brain Behavior & Evolution 81 (1), 40-55, 2013 – link

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2011, 2012

16. Maseko, B.C., Spocter, M.A., Haagensen, M., & Manger, P.R. (2012). Elephants have the relatively largest cerebellum size of mammals. Anatomical Record (Hoboken) 295,661-672., 2012 – link

15. Spocter, M.A., Hopkins, W.D., Barks, S.K., Bianchi, S., Stimpson, C.D., Fobbs, A.J., Hof, P.R., & Sherwood, C.C. (2012). Neuropil distribution in the cerebral cortex differs between humans and chimpanzees. Journal of Comparative Neurology 520 (13), 2917-2929., 2012 – link

14. Manger, P.R., Hemingway, J., Spocter, M.A., & Gallagher, A. (2012). The mass of the human brain: is it a spandrel. In: Reynolds, S & Gallagher, A. (eds.) African Genesis: Perspectives on Hominin Evolution, Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology. Cambridge University Press, 2012 – link

13. Štrkalj, G., Spocter, M.A., & Wilkinson, A.T. (2011). Anatomy, medical education and human ancestral variation. Anatomical Sciences Education, 4(6):362-365. , 2011 – link

12. Štrkalj, G., Ngo, A., Park, K., Kim, G.B., & Spocter, M.A. (2011). Chiropractors’ perceptions of the possible racial differences in response to a treatment: A pilot study. Studies on Ethno-Medicine, 5(3),149-151. – Link, 2011 – link

11. Maseko, B.C., Spocter, M.A., Haagensen, M., & Manger, P.R. 2011. Volumetric analysis of the African elephant ventricular system. Anatomical Record (Hoboken) 298,1412-1417., 2011 – link

10. Bianchi, S., Bauernfeind, A.L., Gupta, K., Stimpson, C.D., Spocter, M.A., Bonar, C.J., Manger, P.R., Hof, P.R., Jacobs, B., & Sherwood, C.C. 2011. Neocortical neuron morphology in Afrotheria: comparing the rock hyrax with the African elephant. Annals of the New York Academy of Science 1225, 37-46. – link

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2009, 2010

9. Sherwood, C.C., Raghanti, M.A., Stimpson, C.D., Spocter, M.A., Uddin, M., Boddy, A.M., Wildman, D.E., Bonar, C.J., Lewandowski, A.H., Phillips, K.A., Erwin, J.M., & Hof, P.R. 2010. Inhibitory interneurons of the human prefrontal cortex display conserved evolution of the phenotype and related genes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B. 277, 1011-1020. – link

8. Spocter, M.A., Hopkins, W.D., Garrison, A.R., Bauerfeind, A., Stimpson, C.D., Hof, P.R., & Sherwood, C.C. 2010. Wernicke’s area homologue in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and its relation to the appearance of modern human language. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B. 277, 2165-2174. – link

7. Raghanti, M.A., Spocter, M.A., Butti, C., Hof, P.R., & Sherwood, C.C. 2010. A comparative perspective on minicolumns and inhibitory GABAergic interneurons in the Neocortex. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. 4, (3) 1-10. – link

6. Wilkinson, A.T., Štrkalj, G., & Spocter, M.A. 2010. Should human variation be taught to medical students? In: Štrkalj, G. (ed.) Teaching Human Variation: Issues, Trends and Challenges. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers.  – link

5. Schenker, N.M., Hopkins, W.D., Spocter, M.A., Garrison, A.R., Stimpson, C.D., Erwin, J.M., Hof, P.R., & Sherwood, C.C. 2010. Broca’s area homologue in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): probabilistic mapping, asymmetry, and comparison to humans. Cerebral Cortex 20, 730-742. – link

4. Raghanti, M.A., Spocter, M.A., Stimpson, C.D., Erwin, J.M., Bonar, C.J., Allman, J.M., Hof, P.R., & Sherwood, C.C. 2009. Species specific distributions of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons in the prefrontal cortex of anthropoid primates. Neuroscience 158, 1551-9. – link

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2007, 2008

3. Dayal, M.R., Spocter, M.A., & Bidmos, M.A. 2008. Sexual dimorphism of the skull of black South Africans by discriminant function analysis. Journal of Comparative Human Biology: HOMO. 59, 209-221. – link

2. Spocter, M.A., & Strkalj, G. 2007. Darwinian medicine: An evolutionary perspective to health and disease. South African Medical Journal. 97, 1044-1046.  – link

1. -Spocter, M.A., & Manger, P.R. 2007. The use of cranial variables for the estimation of hominin body mass. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 134, 92-105, 2007 – link​