 |
|
Human brains pay a price for being big
August 05, 2008Metabolic changes responsible for the evolution of our unique cognitive abilities indicate that the brain may have been pushed to the limit of its capabilities. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Biology adds weight to the theory that schizophrenia is a costly by-product of human brain evolution.
Philipp Khaitovich, from the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led a collaboration of researchers from Cambridge, Leipzig and Shanghai who investigated brains from healthy and schizophrenic humans and compared them with chimpanzee and rhesus macaque brains. The researchers looked for differences in gene expression and metabolite concentrations and, as Khaitovich explains, "identified molecular mechanisms involved in the evolution of human cognitive abilities by combining biological data from two research directions: evolutionary and medical".
The idea that certain neurological diseases are by-products of increases in metabolic capacity and brain size that occurred during human evolution has been suggested before, but in this new work the authors used new technical approaches to really put the theory to the test.
They identified the molecular changes that took place over the course of human evolution and considered those molecular changes observed in schizophrenia, a psychiatric disorder believed to affect cognitive functions such as the capacities for language and complex social relationships. They found that expression levels of many genes and metabolites that are altered in schizophrenia, especially those related to energy metabolism, also changed rapidly during evolution. According to Khaitovich, "Our new research suggests that schizophrenia is a by-product of the increased metabolic demands brought about during human brain evolution".
The authors conclude that this work paves the way for a much more detailed investigation. "Our brains are unique among all species in their enormous metabolic demand. If we can explain how our brains sustain such a tremendous metabolic flow, we will have a much better chance to understand how the brain works and why it sometimes breaks", said Khaitovich.
BioMed Central
They identified the molecular changes that took place over the course of human evolution and considered those molecular changes observed in schizophrenia, a psychiatric disorder believed to affect cognitive functions such as the capacities for language and complex social relationships. They found that expression levels of many genes and metabolites that are altered in schizophrenia, especially those related to energy metabolism, also changed rapidly during evolution. According to Khaitovich, "Our new research suggests that schizophrenia is a by-product of the increased metabolic demands brought about during human brain evolution".
The authors conclude that this work paves the way for a much more detailed investigation. "Our brains are unique among all species in their enormous metabolic demand. If we can explain how our brains sustain such a tremendous metabolic flow, we will have a much better chance to understand how the brain works and why it sometimes breaks", said Khaitovich.
BioMed Central
Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud
This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size.
Anthropology Cancer Survival Ozone Stents Liquid Crystal Mass Extinction Postmenopausal Caesarean Paleontology Nuclear Medicine Drug Use Myopia Influenza Vaccine Fatigue Alcohol Addiction Fungus Nanoparticles Solar Cell Malaria Vaccine Hydrocortisone Rice Glucose Breastfeeding Dyslexia Bacterial Infection
See More: Science News Tags
Schizophrenia Current Events and Schizophrenia News RSSUCLA collaboration identifies immune system link to schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disease, thought to be caused by the interaction of both genetic and environmental factors.
ADHD genes found, known to play roles in neurodevelopment
Pediatric researchers have identified hundreds of gene variations that occur more frequently in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than in children without ADHD.
Alterations in brain's white matter key to schizophrenia, UCLA study shows
Schizophrenia, a chronic and debilitating disorder marked in part by auditory hallucinations and paranoia, can strike in late adolescence or early adulthood at a time when people are ready to stand on their own two feet as fully independent adults.
Study finds cancer is the second most frequent cause of death in individuals with schizophrenia
People with schizophrenia die from cancer four times as often as people in the general population.
Could hormones explain gender differences in neurological disease?
Neurological diseases including Parkinson's, Tourette's, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's, and schizophrenia are all associated with alterations in dopamine-driven function involving the dopamine transporter (DAT).
Animal model for schizophrenia identifies a novel approach for treating cognitive impairments
Researchers have been seeking a safe and effective way to treat cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia by enhancing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors.
Pregnancy and the flu: A link to schizophrenia
When mothers become infected with influenza during their pregnancy, it may increase the risk for schizophrenia in their offspring.
CSHL researchers unravel how a protein helps nerve cells recycle synaptic vesicles
Brain cells, or neurons, transmit electrical signals efficiently only when they recycle tiny cellular sacs that store signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters.
MIT: Long-distance brain waves focus attention
Just as our world buzzes with distractions - from phone calls to e-mails to tweets - the neurons in our brain are bombarded with messages.
Schizophrenia does not increase risk of violent crime
A new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet and the University of Oxford finds that the severe mental disorder schizophrenia only marginally increases the risk of committing violent crime.
More Schizophrenia Current Events and Schizophrenia News Articles
 |
The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness by Lori Schiller (Author), Amanda Bennett (Author) Schiller's gripping, heart-rending and ultimately triumphant story of her journey into madness and back to reality is told through the voices of Lori and her family, friends and doctor, and captures a rare, astoundingly vivid view into the inner life of a schizophrenic. "A stunning story of courage, persistence, and hope."--Publishers Weekly. |
 |
ABC News 20/20 Schizophrenia It's all in their minds: visions, voices, taunting, never ending, driving them crazy or worse. It's hard to imagine, but now, an amazing device lets you feel their pain. The technology lets you go inside the mind of a schizophrenic. See what they see. Hear what they hear. Using the technique of virtual reality, Janssen Pharmaceuticals has developed a device to stimulate the visual and auditory hallucinations of a schizophrenic patient. Dr. Timothy Johnson explores the world of people struggling with the voices within. This "20/20" show contains the following additional stories: Victim's Comp Windsheilds |
 |
Schizophrenia Revealed: From Neurons to Social Interactions by Michael Foster Green (Author) A modern view of schizophrenia based on neuroscience that goes far beyond the symptoms of the illness. "Green has lifted the bar in this realm of explanatory neuroscience-based psychiatry. If you wish to read an enjoyable and instructive primer on what we know about schizophrenia at the beginning of the 21st century, you could do no better than to choose Schizophrenia Revealed." —New England Journal of Medicine |
 |
Understanding Mental Illness and Schizophrenia Part of the award winning public television series Healthy Body/Healthy Mind. Mental Illnesses are complex diseases of the brain affecting thoughts, moods, and coping ability. There are many diseases you can see, feel and understand, but there are others that aren't as easy to comprehend. Education and compassion are key. Untreated mental illness costs Americans more than 100 billion dollars each year. Fear of Mental Illness and the lack of understanding prevent millions of people from seeking much needed treatment. Meet some of these people in this program. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. |
 |
Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Patients, and Providers by E. Fuller Torrey (Author) Since its first publication in 1983, Surviving Schizophrenia has become the standard reference book on the disease and has helped thousands of patients, their families and mental health professionals. In clear language, this much–praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment and course of schizophrenia and also explores living with it from both the patient and the family's point of view. This new, completely updated fifth edition includes the latest research findings on what causes the disease as well as information about the newest drugs for treatment and answers to the questions most often asked by families, consumers and providers. |
 |
Schizophrenia For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness)) by Jerome Levine (Author), Irene S. Levine (Author) Practical tools for leading a happy, productive life Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling mental disorder that afflicts one percent of the population, an estimated 2.5 million people in America alone. The firsthand advice in this reassuring guide will empower the families and caregivers of schizophrenia patients to take charge, offering expert advice on identifying the warning signs, choosing the right health professional, understanding currently available drugs and those on the horizon (as well as their side effects), and evaluating traditional and alternative therapies. |
 |
Schizophrenia, Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis and Treatments A detailed booklet that describes Schizophrenia, symptoms, causes, and treatments, with information on getting help and coping. This booklet is also for family and friends that are looking for further understanding of schizophrenia. You will learn in this Booklet: What is schizophrenia? What are the symptoms of schizophrenia? When does it start and who gets it? Are people with schizophrenia violent? What about suicide? What causes schizophrenia? How is schizophrenia treated? What is the role of the patient’s support system? What is the outlook for the future? How can a person participate in schizophrenia research? You will also learn descriptions and solutions to these common terms: about schizophrenia bipolar schizophrenia catatonic schizophrenia ... |
 |
Schizophrenia by Sepultura |
 |
Living with Schizophrenia Starring: Guilford Press Directed By: Monkey See Productions This video offers essential information and guidance for individuals and families coping with a schizophrenia diagnosis. The program features illuminating first-hand accounts from three people with schizophrenia and one person with schizoaffective disorder, along with commentary from treatment expert Dr. Andy Campbell. Viewers learn clear steps they can take to lead fuller, more successful lives, including how to work effectively with doctors and therapists; manage medication problems; make healthy lifestyle choices; recognize the early warning signs of relapse; and enlist needed support from family members and friends. |
 |
Me, Myself, and Them: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Schizophrenia (Adolescent Mental Health Initiative) by Kurt Snyder (Author), Raquel E. Gur M.D. (Author), Linda Wasmer Andrews (Author) During his second semester at college, Kurt Snyder became convinced that he was about to discover a fabulously important mathematical principle, spending hours lost in daydreams about numbers and symbols. In time, his thoughts took a darker turn, and he became preoccupied with the idea that cars were following him, or that strangers wanted to harm him. Kurt's mind had been hijacked by schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder that typically strikes during the late teen or young adult years. In Me, Myself, and Them, Kurt, now an adult, looks back from the vantage point of recovery and eloquently describes the debilitating changes in thoughts and perceptions that took hold of his life during his teens and twenties. As a memoir, this book is remarkable for its unvarnished look at the... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |