Human Brain Still Evolving

[M123]

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/09/08/hscout527858.html


THURSDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The evolution of the human brain is not quite a done deal, say researchers who've uncovered genetic evidence that man's mysterious gray matter is still undergoing beneficial change.

The scientists make their claim based on the recent evolutionary history of two genes -- microcephalin and abnormal spindle-like microcephaly-associated (ASPM) -- which appear to regulate brain size.

Over thousands of years, both genes seem to be generating new and improved versions of themselves -- beneficial mutations that are spreading rapidly among the human population to reshape and strengthen brain capacity.

"I think a lot of people might consider humans to be at the pinnacle of evolutionary lineage -- that we have achieved an advanced state as a species, and we have basically become the end-game," said study co-author Bruce T. Lahn, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and assistant professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago. "But what we found indicates that the species -- particularly when it comes to the brain, which is perhaps our most defining feature -- is still evolving."

In the Sept. 9 issue of Science, Lahn and his colleagues report on the results of two genetic analyses -- the first conducted among 90 men and women and a chimpanzee, and the second among almost 1,200 men and women. The participant pools were drawn from 59 ethnic groups from all over the world.

The researchers initially focused on identifying all the variations -- or mutations -- of microcephalin and ASPM genes present among the participants. They then honed in on one particular class of each of the two genes that appeared more abundant and genetically younger than the rest.

This class of microcephalin mutations first emerged approximately 37,000 years ago, while the ASPM variant class was estimated to have arisen about 5,800 years ago.

These time frames are a blink of the eye in evolutionary terms, the researchers point out, noting that the type of Homo sapien existent in the world today emerged only about 200,000 years ago.

Both gene groupings appeared to be nearly identical among those participants in which it was identified. According to the researchers, that may be because new mutations have simply not yet had time to diversify in this relatively short time span.

Lahn and his team observed that each of the gene classes were present among a significant number of the scanned subjects -- 30 percent in the case of the ASPM mutation, and 70 percent in the case of the microcephalin mutation.

The ASPM mutation was more prevalent in European-related populations such as Iberians, Basques, Russians, North Africans, Middle-Easterners, and South Asians, and less often found among sub-Saharan Africans, East Asians, and Native American Indians.

The microcephalin variant was also found with higher frequency outside of sub-Saharan Africa.

The researchers stressed, however, that no inferences could yet be drawn about the relative genetic evolution of one ethnic group over another, since many as yet unidentified genes probably play a significant role in brain development.

Nevertheless, given the relative youth of the mutations, the Chicago team believes the widespread presence of each gene among the study group cannot be viewed as a genetic accident.
...

[mahhag]

It doesn't seem like that's so surprising, Why would it stop evolving?

[PopeDragunov]

this reminds me of Akira for some reason.

I think Ill write my term paper on this... thanks :o

[Toastar]

It doesn't seem like that's so surprising, Why would it stop evolving?

because god made humans perfect.

:rolleyes:

[Agent Law]

The human species is young. Barring some horrible natural, or man-made disaster, we still have a long way to go.

[Lord Kelvin]

/me starts making Stargate SG-1 references :D

But since this isn't the OTF, I'll make a relavent point. Homo erectus fossils showed that the path of human evolution was towards more developed craniums, so this hardly strikes me as surprising. The real question here is, what's going to be possible in the future from this evolution?

[Kak]

Anyone else notice that it claims non-arabs (aka black people) in Africa have a slower evolving brain?

[Wallrod]

Well no shit. Of course we're going to keep evolving to perform better in the environment we live in.

edit: does anyone really actually think we're at the 'pinnacle' of evolution other than schoolkids or something?

[Lord Kelvin]

Or creationists, for that matter :D

/joke

About the only temporary roadblock I see to our development is oil, but that's for another thread. Kind of makes you wonder though, in a few dozen thousand years, what will humans say about us?

[PopeDragunov]

Or creationists, for that matter :D

/joke

About the only temporary roadblock I see to our development is oil, but that's for another thread. Kind of makes you wonder though, in a few dozen thousand years, what will humans say about us?


"lol Pope Dragunov III broke his penis."

but really, I dont think we are evolved fully. I mean, we are damn near idiotic at times. Just look at the OTF. There must be more.

[Lord Kelvin]

Evolution doesn't prevent you from lacking reason. The OTF is proof of that.

What I meant was, do you think that we'll develop psychokinetic powers like Psycho Mantis or something?

[FaKToR]

Good reference.

[whuh?]

I pretty much think we are going to evolve into a much smaller species with a much larger brain.

We will lose our survival abilities in the wild and be more dependent on technology. We have many reactions and genetic disorders to evolve away from (like staring into light and sneezing).

I bet we will end up closer to the average roswell alien look where we have a big head and eyes, but a real fragile body.

[Agent Law]

At the same time we are evolving, there are scientists who are researching our genetic structure. If they find out how to manipulate it, it could be steered either way (Roswell aliens, or Protoss-like, or giant, but intelligent brutes). Then again, we could look the same several thousand years from now.

[Enders]

This surprises me.
Either humanity is stupid or the internet focuses just on human's stupidity

[Toastar]

"lol Pope Dragunov III broke his penis."


note to self: don't read popes replies while drinking :X hahahaha



We will lose our survival abilities in the wild and be more dependent on technology. We have many reactions and genetic disorders to evolve away from (like staring into light and sneezing).


I'm sorry, are you a deer? and sneezing is a GOOD thing, it removes bad things from your nose that are bothering it.

Last week I was working in underground irrigation, I was sneezing when I got back to where I was staying and it was getting rid of the dirt and dust that was in my nostrils.

[pro kossu]

Evolution is not a process that has a certain goal. It just adapts life into new situations.

Personally I think the next big evolutionary step of mankind is extinction.

[Wallrod]

Evolution is not a process that has a certain goal. It just adapts life into new situations.
Exactly.
Personally I think the next big evolutionary step of mankind is extinction.
Oh, okay.

[Lord Kelvin]

...or Protoss-like...
+10000000-to-the-nth-power rep.

[Modest Genius]

err, this is of interest why?

i mean, its hardly surprising. we dont have firebox threads saying 'shock, horror, scientists realise that gravity also applies to humans', now do we?

[Lord Kelvin]

Well, look at it this way. We've known for years (maybe decades) that the path of human evolution is walking this path from fossils. That's archaeological evidence. But what we have here is genetic evidence pointing the same way. What's even more, we're (if I'm reading the article right) witnessing it as it happens. Slowly, but we can see it, sort of.

[Modest Genius]

yes, but we have that sort of evidence already, just on a cellular level, not organ level.

theres rather a lot of understanding of the evolution of mitochondrial DNA for example.

[M123]

I thought it was interresting. The moderators can move it if they don't like it.

There is the part about black people and indians having "less evolved" brains.

Also in the Firebox there is more chance of serious discussion.

[Modest Genius]

im not criticising placing this in the firebox. here is where such a thread belongs

what im criticising is this being news at all in the first place, and requiring discusion

[-V-]

I would throw in, that this is interesting reporting, but untill I can find an actual article citation of this in a peer-review scientific journal, I am not placing too much credability on this just yet.

[Daywalker]

I think evolution will become a cluster-fuck actually. We've greatly reduced the "clensing" agents in our lives. Our technological world has made it so people with certain traits that would damn them to an early death have been able to make it to an age where they can reproduce and pass on their genes.

[GrosPoisson]

Anyone else notice that it claims non-arabs (aka black people) in Africa have a slower evolving brain?

It also says that about East Asians and other ethnicities too. It's not just the black people :rolleyes:

The news seems pretty underwhelming really. No guarantee that the evolution of the brain will be anything that great. Maybe it will end up being beneficial, but not quite in the way or as much as we expect.

[Lord Kelvin]

Well, in the long run it won't really matter, because by then race probably won't be a deterrent in marriage, meaning that the human population is going to be more homogenous, and that gene's going to spread to everybody.

[GrosPoisson]

I'll agree with that; it'll probably transition into economic factors instead of race at some point in the very, very, very distant future.

[Modest Genius]

I think evolution will become a cluster-fuck actually. We've greatly reduced the "clensing" agents in our lives. Our technological world has made it so people with certain traits that would damn them to an early death have been able to make it to an age where they can reproduce and pass on their genes.yes, but this is talking over the last 50,000 years or so

[StandingCow]

because god made humans perfect.

:rolleyes:

Maybe him making us perfect was allowing us to adapt constantly? And I dont belive it says anywhere he made us perfect.

I know you were being sarcastic, I just threw it out there.

[Afro Joe]

On to the ubermensch!

[Redoubts]

And I dont belive it says anywhere he made us perfect.
I imagine god is supposed to be perfect, and we are made in his image after all.

[whuh?]

sorry, are you a deer? and sneezing is a GOOD thing, it removes bad things from your nose that are bothering it.


thanks for not reading my post. When did I say sneezing is bad? Read This (http://www.mmartins.com/mmartins/photicsneezereflex/photicsneezereflex.asp)

Im just saying we still need to evolve.

[Toastar]

thanks for not reading my post. When did I say sneezing is bad? Read This (http://www.mmartins.com/mmartins/photicsneezereflex/photicsneezereflex.asp)

Im just saying we still need to evolve.

look at your post, it says (like staring into light and sneezing)

that to me are to seperate actions, if you said "staring into light causing sneezing" or something, I'd have taken it diffently :)

[whuh?]

so why would starting into light be a genetic issue then?

[Toastar]

well Ive never heard of anyone sneezing from looking at light

I figured you meant like how deers freeze when they look at light and dont look away

and thats why I called you a deer....


deer :D

[Lusty_Muffins]

http://forums.worldatwarmod.com/showthread.php?t=951

Getting closer to proof on my take on the telescope effect. Only this facet kinda of shows genetic evolution instead of civilized evolution, which is exciting for me.

My theory: Genes will begin to evolve in timespans of 2500 years. Then 800 years. Then 100 years. This trend will continue until we've reached a point of perfect harmony with the current environment or all of our heads simultaneously explode (okay, okay..../joke'd).

Of course, the environment is always changing too. So I've caught myself in a contradiction. If the environment is ever-changing, will our evolution follow the same trend?

Of course, I don't think we'll be on this planet for too much longer (like 1000 years or so) due to the oil situation. But that's a different discussion.

[whuh?]

well Ive never heard of anyone sneezing from looking at light


well now you know.

do do do do.*crappy star shoots across the screen*

Of course, the environment is always changing too. So I've caught myself in a contradiction. If the environment is ever-changing, will our evolution follow the same trend?

There are certain parts that will need to adapt, while others that wont need to follow that pattern(like our brain size increasing, thats just a constant).

[Modest Genius]

well Ive never heard of anyone sneezing from looking at lightyouve never turned on the light in the middle of the night and sneezed? or walked from a dark cinema into bright sunlight and had to sneeze? i know it happens to me every time...

[Lord Kelvin]

Never happened to me...

[whuh?]

thats why its about one in ten.

[Lusty_Muffins]

I use it as an aid when that sneeze just doesn't want to come out.

But anyways.

[Toastar]

youve never turned on the light in the middle of the night and sneezed? or walked from a dark cinema into bright sunlight and had to sneeze? i know it happens to me every time...

no...

[GrosPoisson]

That sounds like those random things you can test for in people to see how they differ. In my high school Biology class, we all took a survey of people within our class to see who was double-jointed, who couldn't curl their tongue into a u, who could curl their tongue into a w, and so on.

[Toastar]

how do you curl your tongue into a w

[GrosPoisson]

how do you curl your tongue into a w

Short answer, you're a genetic freak of nature ;)

[Lusty_Muffins]

:( I can do it

[GrosPoisson]

You're a genetic freak of nature ;)

:p

Well, okay, not really. It just means you have some weird genes that allow for that particular trait to be expressed. It's like me having double-jointed thumbs, there's no real advantage to either, but it's just something that pops up every now and then for no real reason.