Evolution and Mental Health
Uncover the link between mental health and evolution in a riveting lecture! Science made accessible for all.
Date and time
Location
Zürich
Zürich Zürich SwitzerlandAbout this event
- 1 hour
Why are we so susceptible to mental disorders? Evolutionary researchers approach this question by considering the human evolutionary past. This can reveal answers which go beyond the usual approaches from neuroscience, genetics and mainstream psychology. In this lecture session and Q&A, Prof. Adrian Jaeggi and Dr. Adam Hunt will introduce this topic, focussing on two main aspects. In part one, they will address possible functional aspects of depression and anxiety, i.e. what these emotional states might have been good for in the past, and how novel environments might exacerbate ancestrally-functional responses to now cause more harm than good. In part two, they will focus on individual differences in cognitive styles (neurodiversity) and how these can be understood from an evolutionary perspective, just like other personality differences. The evolutionary approach offers to normalise and naturalise various mental health problems experienced on a daily basis, helping frame suffering and cognitive differences from a broader perspective.
All event attendees are invited to join an apéro afterwards.
About the speakers:
Prof. Adrian Jaeggi got his PhD in biological anthropology in 2010 and is currently assistant professor in the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine. He is broadly interested in the evolution of social behavior, how it varies in different ecological conditions, and how this affects health. Since 2011 he has been conducting field research among the Tsimane people of lowland Bolivia, whose relatively traditional lifestyle provides an interesting contrast to modern industrialised societies, especially with regard to health.
Dr. Adam Hunt has a PhD in evolutionary psychiatry from the University of Zurich and is currently a research associate in the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine. His research focuses on explaining neurodivergent conditions from an evolutionary perspective. He also works with the evolutionary psychiatry special interest group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK, and runs the ‘Evolving Psychiatry’ podcast.