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Stanford University Researchers Point Out That Genetic Changes That Made Us Smarter Also Increased The Chances Of Conditions Like Autism And Schizophrenia
Genes That Shaped The Human Brain Also Increased Neurodiversity
A new study published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution suggests that the origin of autism and schizophrenia may be directly linked to the same genetic changes that gave humanity its unique intelligence.
According to neuroscientist Alexander Starr from Stanford University, the results indicate that “the same genetic changes that differentiate the human brain also made us more neurodiverse.”
The scientists emphasize that the research does not measure the intelligence of people with autism or schizophrenia, nor does it suggest that neurodivergent individuals are more or less intelligent.
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What the study shows is that the genes responsible for advanced cognitive traits also increase the likelihood of developing these neurological traits. The study was featured in Science Alert.
What Differentiates The Human Brain From Other Mammals
To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed over one million cells in three brain regions of six species of mammals: mice, marmosets, rhesus monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.
In general, the most common brain cells remained similar among species, but there was one notable exception: the excitatory intratelencephalic neurons in layer 2/3 of the neocortex, abundant in the human brain, underwent much faster evolutionary changes compared to other primates.
These neurons are crucial for high-level cognitive functions such as language, reasoning, and decision-making.
The genetic changes recorded in these types of cells are directly associated with conditions like autism and schizophrenia, suggesting that the evolution of human intelligence may have had the “cost” of increased neurodiversity.
A Possible Mechanism of Evolutionary Survival
The scientists do not yet know exactly why these changes helped our ancestors survive. One hypothesis is that genes linked to slower brain development may have favored the ability to learn language and perform complex reasoning, characteristics that provided evolutionary advantages.
This phenomenon is compared to what happens with sickle cell anemia in malaria-endemic regions. Although the condition is detrimental, the responsible gene also offers 30% more resistance to the malaria parasite, representing a kind of evolutionary “trade-off.” In the human case, the price of intelligence may have been the increase in the prevalence of conditions like autism.
Current Impact and The Importance Of The Research
Today, it is estimated that just over 3 in every 100 children in the United States are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a number that approaches 4 in 100 due to increased awareness and advancements in diagnostic criteria.
The study reinforces previous evidence that up to 80% of autism cases are related to inherited mutations, while the remaining 20% result from new genetic changes. Schizophrenia, in turn, shows similar rates of heredity.
The authors stress that it is still early to draw definitive conclusions and that more studies are necessary to understand the natural selection mechanisms behind these findings.
However, if confirmed, the evidence would indicate that humans would not exist as we are today without the presence of autism, which places neurodiversity as an essential part of the very evolutionary history of humanity.
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