“It is a question that has long puzzled scientists. What made our ancestors break away from apes and advance so dramatically? Now researchers believe they may have explained the missing link – a duplicated gene. Researchers believe that a copy of gene SRGAP2, which appeared in ‘ape men’ around 2.5million years ago, helped our brain cells move faster and make more connections – enabling the brain to become more complex… In addition to providing insight into the origins of the modern human brain, the findings offer clues to the neurological brain disorders including autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia in which development of cell connections is affected.” w/ photos
