Genetic variant linked to arthritis may have helped humans survive

July 03, 2017

Coverage on Nature Genetics GDF5 and Height Paper

If you’re short or suffer from arthritis, you may have evolution to blame – at least, according to a new study of a genetic variant found in Asian and European populations. A team of researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine and Harvard University found that a genetic change associated with both shrinking height in humans and with painful osteoarthritis may have been favored by early humans as they migrated out of Africa.

Source: Earth.com

Author: Eric Ralls

Link: Full Text