Evolution and Epilepsy: Improvement in Brain Electrical Signaling is Critical Both for Vertebrate Evolution and for Prev
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 15:49
in Biology & Nature
Studies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine on brain electrical signaling offer a fresh perspective on vertebrate evolution, provide additional evidence supporting Darwinian views of evolution, and may also lead to more effective treatment of epileptic seizures in infants. Researchers discovered how evolutionary changes produced a series of improvements in molecules generating electrical signals in nerves between 550 and 400 million years ago. By making nervous systems faster and smarter, these innovations appear to have contributed to the evolutionary success and diversity of vertebrate animals.