A new study links a specific gene variant to the origins of spoken language, suggesting it may have played a crucial role in the development of human communication.
A recent study has established a connection between a particular gene and the emergence of spoken language, proposing that a unique protein variant found only in humans may have facilitated our ability to communicate verbally. This research highlights the significant role genetics may have played in the evolution of speech, which was vital for our survival as a species.
Speech enabled 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 research 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 part of a broader set of genes that contributed to the rise of Homo sapiens as the dominant species. Dr. Robert Darnell, a co-author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications, has been researching the protein known as NOVA1, which is crucial for brain development, since the early 1990s. In this latest study, 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 to observe its effects on vocalization.
To their surprise, the results revealed that the mice vocalized differently when they possessed the human variant. Baby mice with the human NOVA1 variant emitted distinct squeaks compared to their normal littermates when their mother approached. Similarly, adult male mice with the variant produced different chirps than their typical counterparts when they encountered a female in heat. Darnell noted that both scenarios involved motivation to communicate, demonstrating how the human variant influenced vocalization.
This study is not the first to link genetics to speech. In 2001, British scientists identified the FOXP2 gene, which was associated with language and speech disorders and dubbed the “human language gene.” However, while FOXP2 plays a role in human language, later research indicated that the variant present in modern humans is not exclusive to our species, as it was also found in Neanderthals. In contrast, the NOVA1 variant identified in this study is unique to modern humans, according to Darnell.
While the presence of a specific gene variant is significant, it is not the sole factor that enables speech. The ability to communicate verbally also relies on anatomical features of the human throat and the collaboration of various brain regions responsible for language comprehension and production.
Darnell expressed hope that this research will not only enhance our understanding of human origins but may also pave the way for innovative treatments for speech-related challenges. Finestack added that the genetic findings could potentially allow for early identification of individuals who may require speech and language interventions, a possibility that could have profound implications for early childhood development.
As scientists continue to explore the genetic underpinnings of language, this study marks a significant step toward unraveling the complex relationship between our biology and the unique ability to communicate through spoken language, according to Fox News.