Keeping the balance: Trade-offs between human brain evolution, autism, and schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT: The unique qualities of the human brain are a product of a complex evolutionary process. Evolution, famously described by François Jacob as a "tinkerer," builds upon existing genetic elements by modifying and repurposing them for new functions. Genetic changes in DNA may lead to the emergence of new genes or cause altered gene expression patterns. Both gene and regulatory element mutations may lead to new functions. Yet, this process may lead to side-effects. An evolutionary trade-off occurs when an otherwise beneficial change, which is important for evolutionary success and is under strong positive selection, concurrently results in a detrimental change in another trait. Pleiotropy occurs when a gene affects multiple traits. Antagonistic pleiotropy is a phenomenon whereby a genetic varian

SUBMITTER: Dunski E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9719942 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature