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Medicine Is Grounded In The Natural Sciences, Among Which Biology Stands Out With Regard To The Understanding Of Human Physiology And Conditions That Cause Dysfunction. Ironically Though, Evolutionary Biology Is A Relatively Disregarded Field. One Reason For This Omission Is That Evolution Is Deemed A Slow Process. Indeed, Macroanatomical Features Of Our Species Have Changed Very Little In The Last 300,000 Years. A More Detailed Look, However, Reveals That Novel Ecological Contingencies, Partly In Relation To Cultural Evolution, Have Brought About Subtle Changes Pertaining To Metabolism And Immunology, Including Adaptations To Dietary Innovations, As Well As Adaptations To The Exposure To Novel Pathogens. Rapid Pathogen Evolution And Evolution Of Cancer Cells Cause Major Problems For The Immune System To Find Adequate Responses. In Addition, Many Adaptations To Past Ecologies Have Turned Into Risk Factors For Somatic Disease And Psychological Disorder In Our Modern Worlds (i.e. Mismatch), Among Which Epidemics Of Autoimmune Diseases, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes And Obesity, As Well As Several Forms Of Cancer Stand Out. In Addition, Depression, Anxiety And Other Psychiatric Conditions Add To The List. The Oxford Handbook Of Evolutionary Medicine Is A Compilation Of Cutting Edge Insights Into The Evolutionary History Of Ourselves As A Species, And How And Why Our Evolved Design May Convey Vulnerability To Disease. Written In A Classic Textbook Style Emphasising Physiology And Pathophysiology Of All Major Organ Systems, The Oxford Handbook Of Evolutionary Medicine Will Be Valuable For Students As Well As Scholars In The Fields Of Medicine, Biology, Anthropology And Psychology.
This volume investigates the core question of why human physiological and psychological systems remain vulnerable to disease despite millions of years of evolutionary adaptation. Editors Martin Brüne and Wulf Schiefenhövel, both established experts in evolutionary psychiatry and human ethology, compile research from a multidisciplinary team to explain how modern ecological and cultural shifts create mismatches between our ancestral biology and contemporary environments. The text argues that understanding these evolutionary trajectories is necessary for addressing chronic conditions like metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and psychiatric illnesses.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts recognize this handbook as a foundational reference for students and researchers bridging the gap between clinical medicine and evolutionary biology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is structured to serve as a rigorous textbook for advanced study in the life sciences.
Page Count:
992
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192506781
ISBN-13:
9780192506788
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