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Depression, heart attack and co Neanderthal genes can be the cause of serious illnesses
Many many years ago, there was apparently so much love between our ancestors and Neanderthals. Even today, genes of the archaic relatives can be found in our genome. And according to scientific research, they can still make us sick. The Neanderthal genes are linked to depression and heart attacks, among others.
Neanderthal genes in our genome
According to scientific research, our ancestors and the Neanderthals met for the first time approximately 60,000 years ago. Between the two species, there were apparently many Techtelmechtel, which led to genes of the Neanderthal man are still detectable in our genetic material. About two to four percent of our genome can be traced back to the mixture of both human species. Scientists around the world are trying to find out what role the genes of our archaic relatives play in the genetic makeup of modern humans. Several years ago, researchers from various universities in the journal "Nature" reported an increased risk of diabetes from a Neanderthal gene. However, the legacies in the genetic material harbor even more dangers, as US scientists now report.
The genes of Neanderthals are still in us today and are associated with various effects, such as an increased risk of heart attacks and depression. (Image: Neyro / fotolia.com) More susceptible to nicotine addiction and depression
As the researchers write in the journal Science, the risk of becoming addicted to nicotine is as much influenced by Neanderthal genetic material as it is by depression. "The brain is incredibly complex, so it's easy to see that it can have negative consequences if changes are made from a completely different evolutionary path," said lead author Corinne Simonti, according to a news agency dpa. It has already been published evidence that it affects about the formation of allergies and lipid metabolism. Simonti's team from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, have now systematically matched the occurrence of individual Neandertal gene segments detected in previous analyzes with the likelihood of certain diseases.
Skin impermeable to UV light and pathogens
For their study, the genome data of 28,000 patients of European descent were used, which were recorded along with the details of the respective diseases for the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network in the United States. The researchers analyzed for each individual patient how much and which parts of his genome go back to Neanderthal DNA. Subsequently, a statistical comparison was made of which of these sections could be linked to certain diseases. "Our primary finding is that Neanderthal DNA influences clinically relevant features of modern humans," says senior author John Capra. According to some results, previous assumptions have been confirmed, for example, that Neanderthal DNA has made human skin more impermeable to UV light and pathogens.
Increased clotting today of disadvantage
The authors write that the analysis also provided surprises. Thus, a certain snippet of Neanderthals apparently increases the risk of nicotine addiction. In addition, a number of variants have been found that affect the risk of depression positively or negatively. Overall, according to the scientists, a surprising number of sections are associated with psychiatric or neurological effects. Presumably, the sections were preserved in the genome, because they would have once brought benefits for survival. Today, however, many genetic legacies might have disadvantages. As an example, the experts call the hypercoagulation, so an increased blood clotting. In the past, this was probably important in order to close wounds more quickly and thus protect against the entry of pathogens. For the modern man this is no longer important. The negative consequences remain: Increased blood clotting increases the risk of diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, embolism and pregnancy complications.
Neanderthal genes also bring benefits
But the genetic remnants not only have disadvantages for modern humans: Neanderthal genes also strengthen our immune system and thus the protection against infections. This is what researchers from the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for evolutionary anthropology in Leipzig found out in a study. In a communication and in the journal "American Journal of Human Genetics", the scientists published the new results. The reason for this was that Neanderthals had lived here for 200,000 years and adapted well to the climate and food resources and pathogens of their region when modern humans settled in Europe and the western part of Asia. "These beneficial adaptations then also benefited the modern man as he mingled with these ancient human species," said Janet Kelso of the MPI in Leipzig. (Ad)