A new study identifies a gene linked to the origins of spoken language, suggesting that a unique protein variant in humans may have facilitated the development of speech.
Scientists have long pondered the question: Why did humans begin to speak? A recent study suggests that genetics played a significant role in the evolution of this unique ability, which was crucial for our survival. The research proposes that a specific gene variant may have contributed to the emergence of spoken language, enabling humans to communicate in unprecedented ways.
According to the study, the ability to speak allowed early humans to share information, coordinate activities, and pass down knowledge, providing a competitive advantage over extinct relatives such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. Liza Finestack, a researcher at the University of Minnesota who was not involved in the study, described the findings as “a good first step to start looking at the specific genes” that may influence speech and language development.
The genetic variant under investigation is one of several genes believed to have played a role in the evolution of Homo sapiens as the dominant species. Dr. Robert Darnell, a co-author of the study published in the journal *Nature Communications*, has been studying the protein known as NOVA1, which is essential for brain development, since the early 1990s.
For this latest research, Darnell’s team at Rockefeller University in New York utilized CRISPR gene editing technology to replace the NOVA1 protein in mice with the human variant. The results were unexpected: the modified mice exhibited changes in their vocalizations when communicating with one another. Baby mice with the human variant produced different squeaks compared to their normal littermates when their mother approached. Similarly, adult male mice with the variant chirped differently than their typical counterparts when they encountered a female in heat.
These observations suggest that the human variant of NOVA1 plays a role in vocal communication among mice, illustrating its potential significance in the evolution of speech. Darnell noted that both scenarios involved motivation to communicate, highlighting how the human variant influenced vocalization.
This research is not the first to link genetics with speech. In 2001, British scientists identified FOXP2 as the first gene associated with language and speech disorders, dubbing it the “human language gene.” However, while FOXP2 is involved in language, it is not unique to humans; later studies revealed that Neanderthals also possessed this variant. In contrast, the NOVA1 variant identified in modern humans is exclusive to our species, according to Darnell.
While the presence of a specific gene variant is a contributing factor, it is not the sole reason humans can speak. The ability to communicate also relies on anatomical features of the human throat and the coordinated functions of various brain regions that enable speech and language comprehension.
Darnell expressed hope that this research will not only enhance our understanding of human origins but also pave the way for new treatments for speech-related disorders. Finestack added that these genetic findings could potentially allow scientists to identify individuals who may require early speech and language interventions.
As research continues, the implications of these findings may extend beyond understanding our evolutionary past, potentially transforming approaches to speech therapy and intervention in the future.
Source: Original article