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Humans' Big Brains Linked To a Small Stretch of DNA

Posted by timothy on from the can't-have-nuclear-bombs-without-big-brains dept.

A new study (abstract) described in the L.A. Times suggests that "just 10 differences on one particular strand of human DNA lying near a brain-development gene could have been instrumental in the explosive growth in the human neocortex." The DNA region, containing just 1,200 base pairs, is not a gene. But it lies near one that is known to affect early development of the human neocortex, according to the study, published online Thursday in Current Biology. Researchers showed that the region, known as HARE5, acts as an enhancer of the gene FZD8. Embryos of mice altered with human HARE5 developed significantly larger brains and more neurons compared with embryos carrying the chimp version, according to the study.

3 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. mice, HGTTG by swell · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If we learned anything from The Hitchhiker's Guide, it is that the mice are the supreme species on earth.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L...
    What's the point of injecting inferior genes into their brains?

    On a more serious note, it will probably be a long time before genetic science can safely determine the source of intelligence or any way to manipulate it. And a long time beyond that to overcome social and legal impediments to using the knowledge in any practical way. Expect to be just as dumb as you are for the rest of your life.

    --
    ...omphaloskepsis often...
  2. Re:just 10 differences? by invictusvoyd · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Then why doesn't someone make these 10 changes to a chimp egg and sperm and see what happens?

    Planet of apes : rise of the funky monkey (3D)

    In cinemas this season ....

  3. Re:I.D. by itzly · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But if it was evolution alone, other species would have it too

    You assume that bigger brains offer a net benefit to other species. The problem is that large brains consume a large amount of energy. If the extra intelligence doesn't help to acquire extra food, the bigger brain is not a asset. Also, acquiring food is only part of the equation. Animals must also be able to actually eat and digest it. An animal like a cow already spends every waking moment on eating and digesting. Even if bigger brain could help it find more grass, there's still not enough time to actually process enough of it.