General · 3 hours ago
Human-only gene slows brain cell growth, boosting our unique intelligence
Scientists think our brains' powerful cognitive abilities come partly from immune cells called microglia taking years to mature. A human-specific gene, SRGAP2, dramatically slows this development, meaning human microglia require four to eight years to mature. This unusually long development may coordinate with neurons to build denser, stronger brain connections.
Reported by sciencedaily.com · How we write briefs