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Evolutionary Medicine : clinical medicine from an evolutionary perspective

Martin Brüne and Ze'ev Hochberg

Collection published: 29 April 2013

Last updated: 24 June 2013

Until recently, the role of evolution in the understanding of treatment and prevention of disease had not been considered by most clinicians, but there is now growing interest in the potential clinical applicability of taking an evolutionary approach towards understanding an array of medical conditions including antibiotic resistance, obesity, psychiatric disorders, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

To explore how the evolutionary aspects of health and disease can lead to the improvement of clinical medicine, BMC Medicine has launched an article collection on evolutionary medicine with guest editors Martin Brüne and Ze’ev Hochberg.

Submissions of ground-breaking research, stimulating reviews and debates offering insights into this emerging inter-disciplinary area of medicine are welcome for consideration in BMC Medicine as part of this ongoing article collection. If you would like your work to be considered please can send a pre-submission query to bmcmedicineeditorial@biomedcentral.com.

		Review The differential role of androgens in early human sex development Olaf Hiort BMC Medicine 2013, 11:152 (24 June 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Olaf Hiort reviews the mechanisms via which androgens affect early human sex development, and proposes that a response index of androgens should be considered due to the time-sensitive processes controlled by the androgen receptor.
		Opinion Developmental heterochrony and the evolution of autistic perception, cognition and behavior Bernard Crespi BMC Medicine 2013, 11:119 (2 May 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Bernard Crespi proposes that changes in rate and timing of childhood developmental processes may underlie autism and other cognitive and behavioural disorders, and suggests future genetic research should focus on the causes of these variations.
		Editorial Evolutionary medicine – the quest for a better understanding of health, disease and prevention Martin Brüne, Ze’ev Hochberg BMC Medicine 2013, 11:116 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary In an editorial to launch our article collection on Evolutionary Medicine, Martin Brüne and Ze’ev Hochberg discuss the relevance of evolutionary medicine in clinical research as a means of ultimately gaining deeper understanding about human diseases.
		Review New perspectives on evolutionary medicine: the relevance of microevolution for human health and disease Frank Rühli, Maciej Henneberg BMC Medicine 2013, 11:115 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Frank Rühli and Maciej Henneberg review the microevolutionary changes in humans, and the impact this may have in treatment of diseases, understanding host-pathogen co-evolution, and the effect current clinical decisions may have on future generations.
		Research article Effects of breastfeeding on body composition and maturational tempo in the rat Yonatan Crispel, Oren Katz, Dafna Ben-Yosef, Ze'ev Hochberg BMC Medicine 2013, 11:114 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Weaning from lactation at an early age leads to faster development and leaner, longer bodies in comparison to late-weaned rats, and these effects are transmitted through generations as early-weaned progeny reach sexual maturation at an earlier age.
		Review Evo-devo of human adolescence: beyond disease models of early puberty Ze'ev Hochberg, Jay Belsky BMC Medicine 2013, 11:113 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Ze’ev Hochberg and Jay Belsky review the development of human adolescents from an endocrinological and social perspective, arguing that understanding the environmental impact on development will help inform further research.
		Research article Mammalian NPC1 genes may undergo positive selection and human polymorphisms associate with type 2 diabetes Nasser M Al-Daghri, Rachele Cagliani, Diego Forni, Majed S Alokail, Uberto Pozzoli, Khalid M Alkharfy, Shaun Sabico, Mario Clerici, Manuela Sironi BMC Medicine 2012, 10:140 (15 November 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Genetic variations in the Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) gene have sex-specific effects on type 2 diabetes risk in a Saudi Arabian cohort, possibly mediated by evolutionary selection pressures of the immune system against filovirus infection.
		Opinion Does the oxytocin receptor polymorphism (rs2254298) confer 'vulnerability' for psychopathology or 'differential susceptibility'? insights from evolution Martin Brüne BMC Medicine 2012, 10:38 (17 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Martin Brune discusses gene-environment interactions as applied to psychiatric conditions, and contrasts it with the diathesis-stress perspective on environmental effects, thus exploring these implications with regard to polymorphisms.
		Commentary Differential susceptibility to plasticity: a 'missing link' between gene-culture co-evolution and neuropsychiatric spectrum disorders? Rachel Wurzman, James Giordano BMC Medicine 2012, 10:37 (17 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Rachel Wurzman and James Giordano comment on Brunes concept of how genetic plasticity can be influenced by the environment, and explain how this hypothesis may provide new avenues for psychiatric research.

		Review The differential role of androgens in early human sex development Olaf Hiort BMC Medicine 2013, 11:152 (24 June 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Olaf Hiort reviews the mechanisms via which androgens affect early human sex development, and proposes that a response index of androgens should be considered due to the time-sensitive processes controlled by the androgen receptor.
		Opinion Developmental heterochrony and the evolution of autistic perception, cognition and behavior Bernard Crespi BMC Medicine 2013, 11:119 (2 May 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Bernard Crespi proposes that changes in rate and timing of childhood developmental processes may underlie autism and other cognitive and behavioural disorders, and suggests future genetic research should focus on the causes of these variations.
		Editorial Evolutionary medicine – the quest for a better understanding of health, disease and prevention Martin Brüne, Ze’ev Hochberg BMC Medicine 2013, 11:116 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary In an editorial to launch our article collection on Evolutionary Medicine, Martin Brüne and Ze’ev Hochberg discuss the relevance of evolutionary medicine in clinical research as a means of ultimately gaining deeper understanding about human diseases.
		Review New perspectives on evolutionary medicine: the relevance of microevolution for human health and disease Frank Rühli, Maciej Henneberg BMC Medicine 2013, 11:115 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Frank Rühli and Maciej Henneberg review the microevolutionary changes in humans, and the impact this may have in treatment of diseases, understanding host-pathogen co-evolution, and the effect current clinical decisions may have on future generations.
		Research article Effects of breastfeeding on body composition and maturational tempo in the rat Yonatan Crispel, Oren Katz, Dafna Ben-Yosef, Ze'ev Hochberg BMC Medicine 2013, 11:114 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Weaning from lactation at an early age leads to faster development and leaner, longer bodies in comparison to late-weaned rats, and these effects are transmitted through generations as early-weaned progeny reach sexual maturation at an earlier age.
		Review Evo-devo of human adolescence: beyond disease models of early puberty Ze'ev Hochberg, Jay Belsky BMC Medicine 2013, 11:113 (29 April 2013) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Editor’s summary Ze’ev Hochberg and Jay Belsky review the development of human adolescents from an endocrinological and social perspective, arguing that understanding the environmental impact on development will help inform further research.
		Research article Mammalian NPC1 genes may undergo positive selection and human polymorphisms associate with type 2 diabetes Nasser M Al-Daghri, Rachele Cagliani, Diego Forni, Majed S Alokail, Uberto Pozzoli, Khalid M Alkharfy, Shaun Sabico, Mario Clerici, Manuela Sironi BMC Medicine 2012, 10:140 (15 November 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Genetic variations in the Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) gene have sex-specific effects on type 2 diabetes risk in a Saudi Arabian cohort, possibly mediated by evolutionary selection pressures of the immune system against filovirus infection.
		Opinion Does the oxytocin receptor polymorphism (rs2254298) confer 'vulnerability' for psychopathology or 'differential susceptibility'? insights from evolution Martin Brüne BMC Medicine 2012, 10:38 (17 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Martin Brune discusses gene-environment interactions as applied to psychiatric conditions, and contrasts it with the diathesis-stress perspective on environmental effects, thus exploring these implications with regard to polymorphisms.
		Commentary Differential susceptibility to plasticity: a 'missing link' between gene-culture co-evolution and neuropsychiatric spectrum disorders? Rachel Wurzman, James Giordano BMC Medicine 2012, 10:37 (17 April 2012) Abstract \| Full text \| PDF \| PubMed \| Cited on BioMed Central \| Editor’s summary Rachel Wurzman and James Giordano comment on Brunes concept of how genetic plasticity can be influenced by the environment, and explain how this hypothesis may provide new avenues for psychiatric research.