Korean J Biol Psychiatry.
2019 Oct;26(2):33-38. 10.0000/kjbp.2019.26.2.33.
Evolutionary Genetic Models of Mental Disorders
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Anthropology, Seoul National University College of Social Science, Seoul, Korea. hansonpark@snu.ac.kr
- 2Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies, The Center for Social Sciences in Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2469513
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/kjbp.2019.26.2.33
Abstract
- Psychiatric disorder as dysfunctional behavioural syndrome is a paradoxical phenomenon that is difficult to explain evolutionarily because moderate prevalence rate, high heritability and relatively low fitness are shown. Several evolutionary genetic models have been proposed to address this paradox. In this paper, I explain each model by dividing it into selective neutrality, mutation-selection balance, and balancing selection hypothesis, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of them. In addition, the feasibility of niche specialization and frequency dependent selection as the plausible explanation about the central paradox is briefly discussed.
