Burn-out, depression, anxiety... terms we're all familiar with today, but which weren't even part of everyday language half a century ago. Today, we attach great importance to our mental health, and don't hesitate (or hesitate less) to visit a psychiatrist when it's declining. Our mental disorders can be caused by many factors, but according to a recent study, genetics make us more likely to develop them. Or, tobe more precise, genes from another species of human are the culprits behind our unhappiness.
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Denisovan cross-breeding at the root of our mental disorders?
Picture this, we're on Earth, tens of thousands of years ago. Back then, the iPhone 15 Pro Max was just a pipe dream, and our ancestors' priority was to survive. Not just to survive, but to ensure their genes carried on their descendants! And while Homo Sapiens were pretty good at this, another species of human cohabited with them.
This species is the Denisovan. Since it lived on the same territory as us, Homo Sapiens, and needed more or less the same resources, competition was fierce. What became of Denisovans? This species is thought to have died out between 40,000 and 50,000 years ago, either naturally or after being massacred by our ancestors.
However, traces of them remain in our genes, 'thanks' to the inter-species cross-breeding that took place before their disappearance. And this interbreeding had some advantages, as Business Insider points out:
This particular genetic adaptation helped early Homo sapiens populations adapt to cold climates and is linked to zinc regulation in our bodies.
Zinc, the element that regulates our mental health
But zinc is a double-edged sword. Genes 'bequeathed' by Denisovans may have made us more susceptible to mental disorders.Business Insider explains:
The Denisovian genetic variant found in the zinc transporter is also linked to greater susceptibility to various psychiatric disorders.
These include widespread illnesses such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder.
Without this cross-breeding, we'd be a very different species psychologically... and maybe even non-existent. Indeed, the cold resistance has greatly increased our survival capacities. Thanks Denisovan!
This article has been translated from Gentside FR
Read also:
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⋙ 5 surprising reasons why you should laugh everyday and it's not just for your mental health
⋙ Seasonal depression: The most common symptoms and how to cope with them
Sources:
Plos Genetics: Human genetic adaptation related to cellular zinc homeostasis
LiveScience: Who were the Denisovans?
Business Insider: Your mental illnesses may be a result of ancient cross-species fornication, a study has found
