An Overview on the Evolution of Language and Genetics of Speech Disorders

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord AND General Office of Legal Medicine, Isfahan, Iran

2 PhD Student, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

3 PhD Student, Department of Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

4 Associate Professor, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences AND Medical Genetics Center of Genome, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Language, as an exclusive salient of human kind, is the requisite of development and formation of the human society; thus, it is at the topmost of human evolutionary features. Language and speech can be studied in various fields such as biology. Biolinguistics is an interdisciplinary field in which biological development of language is studied. It aims to find the functioning cycle in mind that enables humans to perceive the principles and bases of language. Language genetics, a subfield of biolinguistics, traces genetic factors in the formation and perception of language. Although a variety of theories have been introduced to explain the origins of language, considering recent studies, acquiring essential genetic abilities for speaking are undoubtedly of the most crucial necessities of this skill. Researchers have recently found defective genes in a wide spectrum of language disorders, through which they strongly confirm that speech systems rely on these genes to function properly. However, there is no report on a study which answers this question clearly: considering the origins of language and human evolution, is the proper function of genes, genetic structures, and general requirements necessary for speaking? The evolution of language and genetics of speech disorders along with the outstanding improvements and recent studies are discussed in this review article.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 32, Issue 301 - Serial Number 301
July and August 2014
Pages 1509-1529

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 December 2013
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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