The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory.
Schizophrenia is present in all human populations with approximately the same incidence. Why does such illness persist given that it is associated with a reproductive disadvantage? What is the balancing advantage? A possible explanation is linked to human language. According to this hypothesis schiz...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2003
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| _version_ | 1797071244738166784 |
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| author | Berlim, M Mattevi, B Belmonte-de-Abreu, P Crow, T |
| author_facet | Berlim, M Mattevi, B Belmonte-de-Abreu, P Crow, T |
| author_sort | Berlim, M |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Schizophrenia is present in all human populations with approximately the same incidence. Why does such illness persist given that it is associated with a reproductive disadvantage? What is the balancing advantage? A possible explanation is linked to human language. According to this hypothesis schizophrenia occurs as a manifestation of genetic diversity associated with language--the function by which Homo sapiens has separated from other primate species. Language originated by a genetic mutation that allowed the cerebral hemispheres to develop with a degree of specialization (or lateralization) reflected in cerebral asymmetries. Individuals with schizophrenia show lesser structural and functional brain asymmetries than the population as a whole, and this finding can be interpreted as a delay, or failure in, establishing hemispheric dominance for language. We review recent evidence supporting this theory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:50:29Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:5e9d85ad-2d93-4674-b5d5-f1836e5f099e |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:50:29Z |
| publishDate | 2003 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:5e9d85ad-2d93-4674-b5d5-f1836e5f099e2022-03-26T17:41:45ZThe etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:5e9d85ad-2d93-4674-b5d5-f1836e5f099eEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2003Berlim, MMattevi, BBelmonte-de-Abreu, PCrow, TSchizophrenia is present in all human populations with approximately the same incidence. Why does such illness persist given that it is associated with a reproductive disadvantage? What is the balancing advantage? A possible explanation is linked to human language. According to this hypothesis schizophrenia occurs as a manifestation of genetic diversity associated with language--the function by which Homo sapiens has separated from other primate species. Language originated by a genetic mutation that allowed the cerebral hemispheres to develop with a degree of specialization (or lateralization) reflected in cerebral asymmetries. Individuals with schizophrenia show lesser structural and functional brain asymmetries than the population as a whole, and this finding can be interpreted as a delay, or failure in, establishing hemispheric dominance for language. We review recent evidence supporting this theory. |
| spellingShingle | Berlim, M Mattevi, B Belmonte-de-Abreu, P Crow, T The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory. |
| title | The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory. |
| title_full | The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory. |
| title_fullStr | The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory. |
| title_full_unstemmed | The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory. |
| title_short | The etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language: overview of a theory. |
| title_sort | etiology of schizophrenia and the origin of language overview of a theory |
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