Paleoneurology: Neurodegenerative diseases are age-related diseases of specific brain regions recently developed by homo sapiens
Section snippets
Introduction/background
Clinical presentations of functional deficits in neurodegenerative diseases, that may be focal, asymmetrical or lumped into multisystem atrophies along functional networks is puzzling to both the clinician and the neuroscientist. Age-relation seems to be the major risk factor, but the “functional dissection “that prevails in these diseases may rely on another logic, that may look for a reappraisal from a darwinian perspective.
Rapoport [1], [2], [3] was the first to think of Alzheimer’s disease
A. Development of the human brain
In the 5 millions of years of evolution of hominoids through the Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene, prehuman primates operated a cladic separation from the chimpanzee–bonobo branch (panides) that ended up in the present homo sapiens sapiens. In the 3 billion base-pair of the human genome, only 1% differed from the chimpanzee [20]; however, changes in brain anatomy and consecutive new cognitive capacities, perception and regulation of self and adaptation environment are much more significant [22]
Empirical data
It is known from the revision of the literature [121], [206], [207], [208], [209], [210], [211], [212], [213], [214], [215], [216], [217], [218], [219], [220], [221], [222], [223], [224], [225], [226], [227], [228], [229], [230], [231], [232], [233], [234], [235], [236], [237], [238], [239], [240], [241], [242], [243], that positive selection [218], [223] of genes (morphogens) [220] was instrumental in the shift of humans from the chimpanzee–bonobo branch, new genes specific for size of brain
Consequences of the hypotheses and discussion
This new way of seeing clinical signs in neurodegenerative diseases allows us to lump them as diseases involving new brain areas specific to human primates (homo sapiens sapiens) and to consider the clinical features from a neuroevolutionary (paleoneurological) standpoint specific to Homo and aging [15], [16], [17], [18], [189], [190], [268], [269] and build a new chapter in clinical neurology: paleoneurology. It allows us to understand why functional systems are focally involved, to class
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2016, BBA ClinicalCitation Excerpt :In prodromal AD both visuo-spatial and language skills are impaired. The presence of melokinetic apraxia is an early sign of MCI due to AD, followed by typical disorientation or ideo-motor apraxia syndrome later in the course of disease [49]. These clinical manifestations are supported by morpho-structural and functional studies.
Parkinson's disease: Acquired frailty of archaic neural networks?
2012, Journal of the Neurological SciencesParatonia and gegenhalten in childhood and senescence
2012, Clinical ChiropracticCitation Excerpt :The association of gegenhalten/paratonia in the upper limbs and dyspraxia had been shown to be present in ten consecutive adult patients with dementia and gegenhalten of the upper limbs.4 It has been suggested that the neurodevelopmental/neurodegenerative diseases are age-related diseases of specific brain regions recently developed by homo sapiens.13 Although highly speculative, a common denominator and commonly cited possible causative factor is the second-generation of neurons that develop within the brain principally postnatally.