The increased communication doesn't necessarily mean that the way the human brain operates is better, however. Sharing information with other parts of the brain may slow down certain processes in humans, Patel says. If that's the case, it's probably a sign that being able to react quickly to a predator's approach, for instance, matters more for macaques. Humans, on the other hand, may have "traded speed for some kind of cognitive flexibility," Patel says.