The Descent of Madness : Evolutionary Origins of Psychosis and the Social Brain

Drawing on evidence from across the behavioural and natural sciences, this book advances a radical new hypothesis: that madness exists as a costly consequence of the evolution of a sophisticated social brain in Homo sapiens. Having explained the rationale for an evolutionary approach to psychosis, the author makes a case for psychotic illness in our living ape relatives, as well as in human ancestors. He then reviews existing evolutionary theories of psychosis, before introducing his own thesis: that the same genes causing madness are responsible for the evolution of our highly social brain. Jonathan Burns'novel Darwinian analysis of the importance of psychosis for human survival provides some meaning for this form of suffering. It also spurs us to a renewed commitment to changing our societies in a way that allows the mentally ill the opportunity of living. The Descent of Madness will be of interest to those in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, sociology and anthropology, and is also accessible to the general reader.

Drawing on evidence from across the behavioural and natural sciences, this book advances a radical new hypothesis: that madness exists as a costly consequence of the evolution of a sophisticated social brain in Homo sapiens.

Having explained the rationale for an evolutionary approach to psychosis, the author makes a case for psychotic illness in our living ape relatives, as well as in human ancestors. He then reviews existing evolutionary theories of psychosis, before introducing his own thesis: that the same genes causing madness are responsible for the evolution of our highly social brain.

Jonathan Burns’ novel Darwinian analysis of the importance of psychosis for human survival provides some meaning for this form of suffering. It also spurs us to a renewed commitment to changing our societies in a way that allows the mentally ill the opportunity of living.

The Descent of Madness will be of interest to those in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, sociology and anthropology, and is also accessible to the general reader.

BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 4 COPYRIGHT......Page 5 DEDICATION......Page 6 CONTENTS......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 9 1. INTRODUCTION......Page 12 2. A HISTORY AND PRE-HISTORY OF MADNESS......Page 32 3. EVOLUTIONARY PRINCIPLES OF THE ORIGINS OF PSYCHOSIS......Page 55 4. EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS OF PSYCHOSIS......Page 71 5. A SOCIAL BRAIN FOR A SOCIAL WORLD......Page 82 6. THE EVOLUTION OF THE SOCIAL BRAIN......Page 111 7. SCHIZOPHRENIA AND THE SOCIAL BRAIN......Page 133 8. THE DYSCONNECTIVITY HYPOTHESIS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA......Page 154 9. EVOLUTIONARY ONTOGENY OF SCHIZOPHRENIA......Page 173 10. THE COSTLY LEGACY OF AN EVOLVED SOCIAL BRAIN......Page 191 GLOSSARY......Page 214 NOTES......Page 216 REFERENCES......Page 225 INDEX......Page 270 "Drawing on evidence from across the behavioural and natural sciences, this book advances a radical new hypothesis: that madness exists as a costly consequence of the evolution of a sophisticated social brain in Homo sapiens."--Jacket