Evolution in health and disease

It is now increasingly acknowledged that an evolutionary perspective can give us important new insights into issues central to medical research and practice. This fully revised and updated edition, which consists of roughly 95% new material, contains contributions from leading researchers who provid...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stearns, S. C. (Stephen C.), Koella, Jacob C.
Format: eBook Book
Language:English
Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 2008
Oxford University Press, Incorporated
Edition:2
Subjects:
Causes and theories of causation
Disease
Disease Ecology and Epidemiology
Diseases
Diseases > Causes and theories of causation
Evolution, Molecular
Evolutionary Biology
Genetics and Genomics
Health
Human evolution
Medical genetics
spontaneous abortion
virulence
antibiotic resistance
human genetic variation
evolutionary conflicts
cancer
human history
autoimmune disease
reproduction
vaccination risks
ISBN:9780199207459, 0199207461, 9780199207466, 0199207453
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:It is now increasingly acknowledged that an evolutionary perspective can give us important new insights into issues central to medical research and practice. This fully revised and updated edition, which consists of roughly 95% new material, contains contributions from leading researchers who provide a fresh summary of this rapidly expanding field. It takes a broad approach to the subject, discussing medically relevant research from evolutionary genetics, evolutionary ecology, evolutionary epidemiology, the evolution of aging, and any other biological disciplines where evolutionary approaches make important contributions. The medical conditions discussed include diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, asthma, allergies and other autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, emerging diseases, and aging. It also provides insights into the evolutionary responses of pathogens to antibiotics and vaccines. What will happen if we continue to expand our use of antibiotics and vaccines? Why do we respond inappropriately (for example by developing cardiovascular disease) to many modern conditions? How do cancers evolve, particularly in response to chemotherapy? Why must we grow old, and can we do anything about it? This book discusses answers to these and many other questions.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-363) and index
ISBN:9780199207459
0199207461
9780199207466
0199207453
DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199207466.001.0001