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Applying Evolutionary Thinking in Medicine: An Introduction

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Evolutionary Thinking in Medicine

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Abstract

Evolutionary approaches to medicine are varied and underpinned by an understanding of basic principles in evolutionary biology. Rather than considering immediate or proximate causes for pathologies, or norms among and between individuals which is more typical of clinicians, evolutionary concepts address ultimate or “why” questions, as well as individual variation. Early evolutionary approaches in the nineteenth century underwent a demise with the rise of eugenics, and it was not until the 1990s that these approaches have re-emerged. While the literature in evolutionary medicine in recent decades has been typified by somewhat separate groups representing themes drawn from genetics, social science, and early life development, there has been a recent coalescence of the field as new endeavours have emerged, including an international society, two journals, and a multitude of academic papers. Evolutionary medicine now has increased visibility with a key aim of influencing medical thought and practice to revolutionise approaches to health and illness. Medical schools are already incorporating its principles into everyday practice and teaching, often with students at the vanguard of change. Evolutionary principles are perhaps poised to become embedded into everyday medical thinking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK

    Prof. Gillian R. Bentley Ph.D.

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Correspondence to Gillian R. Bentley Ph.D. .

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  1. Oxford, United Kingdom

    Alexandra Alvergne

  2. Oxford, United Kingdom

    Crispin Jenkinson

  3. Paris, France

    Charlotte Faurie

Glossary

Autoimmune disorders

Occur where the body produces antibodies against its own components (called autoantibodies) and attacks specific cells in the body. The causes of such autoimmune diseases are often unknown. They include conditions such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and type 1 diabetes

Foetal programming

Refers to the potential for programming for alternative phenotypes during foetal life based on the environment experienced in utero and particularly where nutritional deficits constrain optimal foetal development during gestation

Genotype

Refers to the genetic make-up of an individual

Host–pathogen coevolution

Refers to the arms race that exists between an individual organism (the host) and a variety of other organisms that can cause diseases in that host (pathogens). Both hosts and pathogens will adapt over time to their coexistence, as they are under constant selective pressure for reproduction and survival

Immunoglobulin E

(IgE) is an antibody found in mammals and thought to have evolved as mammals became infested with parasitic worms (helminths) and protozoa (including malarial parasites). This antibody is produced and becomes elevated in allergic conditions such as asthma

Phenotype

Refers to the sum of the genetic make-up of an individual (its genotype) modified by environmental influences experienced during growth, development, and maintenance across the life course

Phylogeny

The evolutionary relationships between species across long time spans

Polydactyly

A genetic condition characterised by an excess number of digits or fingers

Population bottleneck

Occurs where populations of individuals reach sufficiently low numbers and variability in the gene pool that genetic drift is likely to occur

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Bentley, G.R. (2016). Applying Evolutionary Thinking in Medicine: An Introduction. In: Alvergne, A., Jenkinson, C., Faurie, C. (eds) Evolutionary Thinking in Medicine. Advances in the Evolutionary Analysis of Human Behaviour. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29716-3_1

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