According to a recent article published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, researchers have found evidence that Dupuytren's disease (also known as 'Viking' disease) has a partially Neanderthal origin. This condition has always been observed to be more prevalent among Northern Europeans compared to African descendants.
Dupuytren's disease is a disorder that affects the hand, resulting in permanent flexion of the fingers, especially the ring and middle fingers. Several risk factors have been identified by scientists, including advanced age, alcohol consumption, diabetes and genetic predisposition.
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Age is an important factor, as the disease tends to develop more often in older people. Excessive alcohol consumption has also been linked to a higher risk of developing Dupuytren's disease. Additionally, individuals with diabetes have an increased likelihood of developing the condition.
In fact, studies have indicated a strong genetic influence on the disease, with reports of up to 80% heritability. The condition is more common in people of northern European descent, such as Norwegians, where the prevalence can reach up to 30% among individuals over the age of 60.
People of African descent south of the Sahara have a low proportion of Neanderthal or Denisovan ancestry, extinct human groups that inhabited Europe and Asia about 42,000 years ago.
In contrast, those with ancestry outside of Africa inherited up to 2% of their genome from Neanderthals, and some populations in Asia show up to 5% Denisovan ancestry.
These geographic differences in ancestry genetics have led to archaic gene variants that may contribute to specific traits or diseases found in certain populations.
To investigate the genetic origins of Dupuytren's disease, the researchers used a sample of data that included 7,871 cases of individuals with the disease and 645,880 healthy controls.
They analyzed genetic information from the UK Biobank, the FinnGen R7 collection and the Michigan Genomics Initiative, with the objective of identifying risk genetic variants associated with Dupuytren.
The researchers identified a total of 61 significant genome-wide genetic variants that are associated with Dupuytren's disease. Surprisingly, three of these variants are of Neanderthal origin, with two of them being among the most strongly associated with the disease.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that Neanderthal ancestry plays a significant role in explaining the high prevalence of Dupuytren's disease in Europe today.
According to the study's lead author, Hugo Zeberg, this finding demonstrates that contact with Neanderthals had an impact on people suffering from Dupuytren's disease. However, Zeberg points out that it's important not to overstate the connection between Neanderthals and Vikings, despite this genetic association.
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