The gene that privileged the brain of the great primates

2004/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Genetika

At the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) one of the genes has been identified that contributed to the brain development of large primates, including humans. GLUD2 is a gene that encodes one of the brain neurotransmitters: glutamate.

Apparently, the GLUD2 gene came from GLUD1 and was one of the steps that separated the great primates from the most primitive monkeys. Large primates have these two genes, but monkeys have only GLUD1.

This GLUD2 gene allowed, among other things, to create a more complex network of brain neurotransmitters in large primates, developing primates with better cognitive capacity and memory.