The evolution of vocal communication in humans required the emergence of not
only voluntary control of the vocal apparatus and a flexible vocal repertoire, but
the capacity for vocal learning. All of these capacities are lacking in non-human
primates, suggesting that the vocal brain underwent significant modifications
during human evolution. We review research spanning from early
neurophysiological descriptions of great apes to the state of the art in human
neuroimaging on the neural organization of the larynx motor cortex, the major
regulator of vocalization for both speech and song in humans. We describe
changes to the location, structure, function, and connectivity of the larynx motor
cortex in humans compared with non-human primates, including critical gaps in
the current understanding of the brain systems mediating vocal control and
vocal learning. We explore a number of models of the origins of the vocal brain
that incorporate findings from comparative neuroscience, and conclude by
presenting a summary of contemporary hypotheses that can guide future
researc