The Evolutionary Persistence of Genes That Increase Mental Disorders Risk

Author: Keller, Matthew C.

Source: Current Directions in Psychological Science, Volume 17, Number 6, December 2008 , pp. 395-399(5)

Buy & download fulltext article:

The full text article is not available for purchase.

The publisher only permits individual articles to be downloaded by subscribers.

Abstract:

Natural selection constantly removes those genetic variants (alleles) that even slightly decrease average reproductive success. Yet, given the high heritabilities and prevalence rates of severe mental disorders, human populations seem to be awash in deleterious alleles. Evolutionary genetics offers an illuminating framework for understanding why mental disorder risk alleles have persisted despite natural selection, and this framework can help guide future research in behavioral and psychiatric genetics.

Keywords: mental disorders; genetics; evolution; mutation-selection; balancing selection; schizophrenia

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2008.00613.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychology and Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado at Boulder

Publication date: 2008-12-01