The caudate nuclei, parts of the brain affected by Huntington’s disease KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
The genetic mutation that causes Huntingtons disease, a devastating brain condition, may have been selected for by evolution because it also leads to higher intelligence in peoples childhood and 20s.
This idea may not only lead to a rethink of strategies to treat Huntingtons, but could also change our perspective on the genetics of intelligence. There are a lot of implications for our understanding of the biology of the brain, says at the University of Iowa, one of the…
Article amended on 23 November 2023
This article has been changed to correct information about the young adult study and the research that supports the toxicity idea.
