An evolutionary approach can fundamentally change how we think about the body and disease. Instead of seeing disease as a defect in a previously perfect machine, Darwinian medicine
How does evolution affect medicine?
The key principles of evolutionary medicine
Why does the theory of evolution matter to the field of medicine and to individual doctors?
Like all biological systems,
both disease-causing organisms and their victims evolve
. Understanding evolution can make a big difference in how we treat disease. The evolution of disease-causing organisms may outpace our ability to invent new treatments, but studying the evolution of drug resistance can help us slow it.
Genetic disease
is a necessary product of evolution (Box 1). Fundamental biological systems, such as DNA replication, transcription and translation, evolved very early in the history of life. Although these ancient evolutionary innovations gave rise to cellular life, they also created the potential for disease.
How does evolution affect our survival?
Populations evolve. Because individuals in a population vary, some in the population are better able to survive and reproduce given a
particular set of environmental conditions
. These individuals generally survive and produce more offspring, thus passing their advantageous traits on to the next generation.
What are the three basic assumptions of Darwinian evolution?
Beginning in 1837, Darwin proceeded to work on the now well-understood concept that evolution is essentially brought about by the interplay of three principles: (1) variation—a liberalizing factor, which Darwin did not attempt to explain, present in all forms of life;
(2) heredity—the conservative force that transmits
…
What can similarities and differences between organisms tell you about their evolutionary history?
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The evidence for evolution
Are humans still evolving?
It is selection pressure that drives natural selection (‘survival of the fittest’) and it is how we evolved into the species we are today. … Genetic studies have demonstrated
that humans are still evolving
.
How do diseases affect natural selection?
From an evolutionary perspective,
infectious diseases
have probably been the primary agent of natural selection over the past 5000 years, eliminating human hosts who were more susceptible to disease and sparing those who were more resistant.
What way can evolution affect human behavior?
According to evolutionary psychologists, patterns of behavior have evolved
through natural selection
, in the same way that physical characteristics have evolved. Because of natural selection, adaptive behaviors, or behaviors that increase reproductive success, are kept and passed on from one generation to the next.
Are humans interfering with evolution?
Humans have direct effects on species that alter aspects of their population structure ranging from age distributions to overall abundance. Beyond these direct demographic effects, humans can
indirectly modify species’ population dynamics
by influencing their evolution.
Can humans evolve to breathe underwater?
Scientists have discovered a way for humans to potentially breathe underwater
by merging our DNA with that of algae
. … The real-life version however could work on a more fundamental level and change our DNA so that we are more like algae, which actually give off oxygen even though they are on the sea bed.
What are 3 pieces of evidence that support the theory of evolution?
There are five lines of evidence that support evolution:
the fossil record, biogeography, comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, and molecular biology
.
What is Darwin’s theory in simple terms?
Darwinism is a
theory of biological evolution
developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.
What are the three basic factors required for evolution?
There are three essential components to this definition—
(1) differential reproduction, (2) heritable traits, and (3) adaptation to the environment
. Darwin noted that most species reproduce at a rate that, if unchecked, would lead to exponential population growth.
