In Practice

"Great wits are sure to madness near allied,” John Dryden writes, framing the common wisdom. This formulation appeals to those who want to explain diseases like schizophrenia on evolutionary grounds. Why would a gene for illness persist, if it did not confer benefit (on patients or their near relations) as well as harm? It may be that the underpinnings of psychosis, especially in mania, can have their uses, but research appearing in yesterday’s Science magazine shows how a disruptive mental illness might afflict a substantial number of people and yet not be associated with any adaptive advantage. Read More