Analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences extracted from several Neanderthal remains have provided new information on their genetic relationship with modern human individuals. However, these results have been interpreted very differently among anthropologists. Here we review these results and present additional data directly addressing the question of genetic continuity among human populations during the Late Pleistocene. An analysis of additional Neanderthal and early modern human remains from Western and Central Europe do not provide any evidence of gene flow between the two groups. We also show that under reasonable assumptions of human demography, these data rule out a major genetic contribution by Neanderthals to the modern human gene pool. Finally, we present preliminary results showing that ancient DNA studies can also contribute to unraveling aspects of Neanderthal demography. Promising avenues of research, such as the investigation of Neanderthal population genetic diversity and organization, as well as analyses of mammal populations contemporary with Neanderthals, could allow us to better understand the dynamics, and perhaps causes, of the demographic changes that occurred in Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene.
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Serre, D., Pääbo, S. (2006). The fate of European Neanderthals: results and perspectives from ancient DNA analyses. In: Hublin, JJ., Harvati, K., Harrison, T. (eds) Neanderthals Revisited: New Approaches and Perspectives. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5121-0_11
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