The evolutionary biology of child health

Crespi, Bernard J.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.2627

Cited by 33 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 96 publications

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“…Osteosarcomas and testicular germ cell tumours have peak incidences around the onset of puberty when previously quiescent stem cells undergo rapid expansion [5,116]. The age-specific incidence of pediatric cancers parallels changes in human growth velocity [117].…”

Section: Cancers Of Childhoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal–fetal conflict, genomic imprinting and mammalian vulnerabilities to cancer

Haig

2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Antagonistic coevolution between maternal and fetal genes, and between maternally and paternally derived genes may have increased mammalian vulnerability to cancer. Placental trophoblast has evolved to invade maternal tissues and evade structural and immunological constraints on its invasion. These adaptations can be co-opted by cancer in intrasomatic selection. Imprinted genes of maternal and paternal origin favour different degrees of proliferation of particular cell types in which they reside. As a result, the set of genes favouring greater proliferation will be selected to evade controls on cell-cycle progression imposed by the set of genes favouring lesser proliferation. The dynamics of stem cell populations will be a particular focus of this intragenomic conflict. Gene networks that are battlegrounds of intragenomic conflict are expected to be less robust than networks that evolve in the absence of conflict. By these processes, maternal–fetal and intragenomic conflicts may undermine evolved defences against cancer.

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Section: Cancers Of Childhoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal–fetal conflict, genomic imprinting and mammalian vulnerabilities to cancer

Haig

2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…It is increasingly likely that there are effects of intragenomic conflicts mediated by imprinted genes on the growth, development and behaviour of infants, children and juveniles [166]. The risk of pediatric cancer appears to be influenced by imprinted genes with effects on growth.…”

Section: Priorities For Basic Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary medicine: its scope, interest and potential

2012

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This review is aimed at readers seeking an introductory overview, teaching courses and interested in visionary ideas. It first describes the range of topics covered by evolutionary medicine, which include human genetic variation, mismatches to modernity, reproductive medicine, degenerative disease, hostpathogen interactions and insights from comparisons with other species. It then discusses priorities for translational research, basic research and health management. Its conclusions are that evolutionary thinking should not displace other approaches to medical science, such as molecular medicine and cell and developmental biology, but that evolutionary insights can combine with and complement established approaches to reduce suffering and save lives. Because we are on the cusp of so much new research and innovative insights, it is hard to estimate how much impact evolutionary thinking will have on medicine, but it is already clear that its potential is enormous.

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“…Imprinted genes are strikingly understudied from evolutionary perspectives, despite the support for the kinship theory of imprinting as regards growth, and the considerable importance of such genes for growth, cancer and metabolic disease [89,109]. The perspective that genes themselves exhibit conflictual and cooperative behaviour [110] should motivate behavioural and evolutionary biologists to analyse the molecular mechanisms by which they socially interact, and thereby mediate health and disease.…”

Section: (D) Intragenomic Conflicts Mediate Disease Risks and Phenotypesmentioning

confidence: 99%

First principles of Hamiltonian medicine

Crespi

Foster

2014

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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We introduce the field of Hamiltonian medicine, which centres on the roles of genetic relatedness in human health and disease. Hamiltonian medicine represents the application of basic social-evolution theory, for interactions involving kinship, to core issues in medicine such as pathogens, cancer, optimal growth and mental illness. It encompasses three domains, which involve conflict and cooperation between: (i) microbes or cancer cells, within humans, (ii) genes expressed in humans, (iii) human individuals. A set of six core principles, based on these domains and their interfaces, serves to conceptually organize the field, and contextualize illustrative examples. The primary usefulness of Hamiltonian medicine is that, like Darwinian medicine more generally, it provides novel insights into what data will be productive to collect, to address important clinical and public health problems. Our synthesis of this nascent field is intended predominantly for evolutionary and behavioural biologists who aspire to address questions directly relevant to human health and disease.

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The evolutionary biology of child health

Cited by 33 publications

References 96 publications

Maternal–fetal conflict, genomic imprinting and mammalian vulnerabilities to cancer

Maternal–fetal conflict, genomic imprinting and mammalian vulnerabilities to cancer

Evolutionary medicine: its scope, interest and potential

First principles of Hamiltonian medicine

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