Metabolic changes in schizophrenia and human brain evolution

摘要: Background: Despite decades of research, the molecular changes responsible for evolution human cognitive abilities remain unknown. Comparative evolutionary studies provide detailed information about DNA sequence and mRNA expression differences between humans other primates but, in absence information, it has proved very difficult to identify pathways relevant cognition. Results: Here, we compare gene metabolite concentrations brain them seen a disorder known affect abilities, schizophrenia. We find that both genes metabolites relating energy metabolism energy-expensive functions are altered schizophrenia and, at same time, appear have changed rapidly during recent evolution, probably as result positive selection. Conclusion: Our findings, along with several previous studies, suggest was accompanied by adaptive metabolism, potentially pushing limit its metabolic capabilities.