The ancient lead exposure may form the evolution of the human brain

An international study changes the theory that the exposure to toxic metal lead is largely an industrial phenomenon. Research shows that our human ancestors had faced more than two million years from time to time, and that toxic metal has affected the evolution of homened brain, behavior, and even language growth.

More that the study – appeared Science developmentThese adds a piece of the puzzle to how humans eliminated their cousins, nandotals. The brain organized models with nendrothal genetics were more sensitive to the effects of lead than the human brain, suggest that the exposure to the lead is more harmful to the neanderlets.

Leading by researchers at the Georological and Archomera Research Group (Garg) at Southern Cross University (Australia), the Department of Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, US), and the University of California San Diego, in the University of California, San Diego, U.C.

A toxic thread through human evolution

So far, scientists believe that the lead exposure is largely a modern trend, which is linked to human activity such as mining, smelly, and the use of leading gasoline and paint. By analyzing 51 -gambling dental of homened and great monkey species, including Australopathics Africa, Paranthrops Robostas, Early Homo, Nander Stalls, and Homo Sipins, the team intermittently exposed the lead explicit explicit exhibitions over nearly two million years.

Southern Cross University’s Garg Facility (located in Limur, NSW) and Mount Siena’s exposes, using high-precision laser-ebulation geometry in the latest facilities, researchers found a “lead band” in the teeth, which was contradictory during childhood. These bands repeatedly show both environmental sources (such as contaminated water, clay, or volcanic activity) and from their bone shops, which have been released during stress or illness.

“Our data shows that the exposure to the lead was not just a product of the industrial revolution. It was part of our evolutionary landscaping,” said Professor Renaud Joas-Boyao, head of the Gurg Research Group at Southern Cross University.

“This means that the brains of our ancestors were developed under a strong toxic metal, which has shaped their social behavior and academic abilities for more than thousands of years.”

From fossils to function: lead and language gene

The team also turned to the lab to find out how this ancient exhibition could lead to brain growth. Using human brain organizations, small, lab -growing models, they compared the effects of lead on two versions of a major development gene called Nova 1, which is known for expressing the archetype gene after the lead exposure during a gene neurodement. The modern human version of Nova 1 is different from that of Nandartles and other extinct homened, but so far, scientists did not know why this change was created.

When organizations were exposed to various forms of archaeological Nova 1, they showed significant obstacles in the activity of Fox P2 – expressing neurons in Cortex and Thalams – brain regions that are important for speech and language development. This effect was less clear in organizations with the variations of modern Nova 1.

“These results show that the variety of our Nova 1 said Pediatrics/Cellular and Molecular Professor and UC San Diego Sanford Steme Cell Institute’s Integrated Space Steam Cell and Bibetan Research Center, Professor Alison Motre.

“This is an unusual example of how environmental pressures, in this case, guide toxins, can drive genetic changes that can improve our ability to communicate with survival and language, but now it also affects our risk for modern lead exposure.”

The formation of genetics, neurotoxins, and modern humans

The study revealed that genetic and proteomic analysis revealed that lead exhibitions in archaeological variable organizations affected the paths involved in neurodement, social behavior and communication. Particularly changed FOXP2 activity indicates the potential links between ancient lead exposure and the evolutionary disposition of language capabilities in modern humans.

“This study shows how our environmental exhibitions created our evolution,” said Professor Manish Arora, Professor and Vice Chairman of Environmental Medicine.

“From the point of view of the competitiveness of the inter -breeding, the observation that toxic exposure offers a fresh pattern to examine the evolutionary roots of environmental disorders for environmental drugs for environmental drugs.”

Modern lessons from an ancient issue

Although today’s exhibition is mostly due to the human industry, it has become a serious global health problem, especially for children. These results indicated that environmental toxins and human organisms are deeply connected and warn that the threat to our leadership could inherit the inheritance of our past.

Professor Jones-Baiyao added, “Our job not only re-writes the history of the lead exhibition,” it also reminds us that the interaction between our genes and the environment has been creating our species for millions of years, and continues. “

The study analyzed the fierce dental dental of Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania, which used modern geo -chemical mapping to identify childhood lead exhibition samples. Laboratory experiments with cerebral organizations examined the effects of lead on the brain development either modern or archaeological Nova 1 genes, which focused on Fox P2, which is the main gene of speech and language. Genetic, transrometric, and protomet data was integrated to make a comprehensive image of how the lead affected the evolution of social behavior and cognition.