These genetic variants may have subsequently proved beneficial to European populations in making the shift from hunting and gathering to farming. “DNA from hunter-gatherers is present at higher levels in Northeastern Europe, which means the region has an elevated genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” Barrie said. Similarly, the ancient genetic information shed light on the evolutionary history of traits such as height and lactose tolerance. And for most traits, MS included, the genetic effects are the result of multiple genetic variants,” he said. “Ultimately, we can’t say that MS came from Bronze Age populations, but these populations’ movements and environments contribute to differences in MS risk today.”

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Persons: “, ”, Rasmus Nielsen, It’s, William Barrie, Astrid Iversen, ” Iversen, ε4, ” Barrie, Samira, Asgari, Tony Capra, Capra, wasn’t Organizations: CNN —, University of California, Danish National, University of Cambridge’s, University of Oxford, Icahn School of Medicine, Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute Locations: Western Europe, Central Asia, Europe, Berkeley, Kazakhstan, Northeastern Europe, Mount Sinai, New York, Bakar, San Francisco