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[Evolutionary medicine: an emergent basic science]
1Laboratorio de Genómica Evolutiva, Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile. aspotorn@med.uchile.cl
Revista Medica De Chile
|April 13, 2005
Summary
Evolutionary Medicine applies evolutionary theories to understand human health, explaining why diseases occur and how to prevent and treat them by considering evolutionary causes.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Medicine as an emerging scientific discipline.
Context:
- Traditional medicine focuses on proximate causes of disease, neglecting evolutionary or mediate factors.
- Modern lifestyles are misaligned with the paleolithic human genome and phenotypes, contributing to diseases of civilization.
Purpose:
- To apply evolutionary theories (descent with modification, natural selection) to human health and disease.
- To provide new explanations for human sickness, prevention, and healing.
Summary:
- The human genome and phenotypes are adapted to paleolithic environments, not modern lifestyles, leading to maladaptations.
- Evolutionary Medicine identifies vulnerabilities and maladaptations arising from this mismatch, offering insights into diseases like atherosclerosis, senescence, and stress-related disorders.
Impact:
- Enables a deeper understanding of human vulnerabilities, adaptations, and maladaptations.
- Facilitates the development of more effective disease prevention and treatment strategies by considering evolutionary perspectives.
- Advances post-modern medicine by integrating evolutionary insights into clinical practice.