Evolutionary
Evolutionary Medicine
Evolutionary Medicine (pronunciation: /ˌiːvəˈluːʃənəri ˈmɛdɪsɪn/) is a field of study that applies the principles of evolution to understand health and disease in humans.
Etymology
The term "Evolutionary Medicine" is derived from the word "evolution" (from Latin evolutio, meaning 'unrolling') and "medicine" (from Latin medicina, meaning 'the healing art').
Definition
Evolutionary Medicine, also known as Darwinian Medicine, is an approach to medicine that uses evolutionary theory to explain why the body is not better designed and why, therefore, diseases exist. It explores the evolutionary origins of diseases and how evolutionary theory can guide research and applications in medicine and public health.
Related Terms
- Natural Selection: The process in nature by which, according to Darwin's theory of evolution, organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive longer and transmit more of their genetic characteristics to succeeding generations than do those that are less well adapted.
- Genetic Drift: Variation in the relative frequency of different genotypes in a small population, owing to the chance disappearance of particular genes as individuals die or do not reproduce.
- Adaptation: The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.
- Pathogen: A bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
- Trade-off: A situation that involves losing one quality or aspect of something in return for gaining another quality or aspect.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Evolutionary
- Wikipedia's article - Evolutionary
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