Neanderthal Genes

What if certain human diseases were the expression of genes we inherited from neanderthal ancestors that were useful to them, but not to us?

I don't want to claim that this is "hard science", but it is a scientifically oriented and well documented speculation posted at The Neanderthal Theory. It is an interesting enough idea that I spent a half-hour or so browsing the piece.

...many alleles has originated in the period when modern humans and Neanderthals lived side-by-side in Europe. The DRD4 7R allele is associated with ADHD, and a study reveals it originated at this time. Many other properties of psychiatric disorders seems to be either attributable to Neanderthals way of life, or can be seen as winter-adaptations.

Note that ADHD is one of the modern acronyms for hyperactivity, and an allele is a particular variation of a gene (we all have the same genes, the alleles make us different people).

The basic premise has two parts. First, that members of homo sapiens neanderthalis (them) and homo sapiens sapiens (us) interbred occassionally, and that we still carry some neanderthal genes. This is not currently accepted by scientists, but it has been a source of much speculation, and there is some hard evidence to support this. Second, some alleles that were beneficial to neanderthals get expressed in modern humans, often to that individuals disadvantage. In particular, allele variations associated with cystic fibrosis and ADHD date from the temporal co-existence of neanderthals and sapiens, while PKU, Huntington's Disease, psoriasis and celiac disease show a geographic pattern that matches with their geographical coincidence.

The real motive of the author is to push a hypothesis that autism is a genetic disease that can be associated with alleles corresponding to neanderthal/sapiens hybridization. Essentially, autistics behave in a way that is "not like us" because they are really truly not like us at all. Don't worry about eugenics though; if anything the author seems to favor mainstreaming autistics because we are all hybrids and autism is as fundamental a part of that as skin, hair, and eye color.

P.S. One of the alleles the author speculates would have offered advantages to a neanderthal is Factor V Leiden, which yours truly carries.

Comments

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