Article
On the adaptive origins and maladaptive consequences of human inbreeding: parasite prevalence, immune functioning, and consanguineous marriage.
Evolutionary psychology : an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior - 13 Nov 2010
Hoben Ashley D, Buunk Abraham P, Fincher Corey L, Thornhill Randy, Schaller Mark
Abstract excerpt
We propose that consanguineous marriages arise adaptively in response to high parasite prevalence and function to maintain coadapted gene complexes and associated local adaptation that defend against local pathogens. Therefore, a greater prevalence of inbreeding by consanguineous marriage is expected in geographical regions that historically have had high levels of disease-causing parasites. Eventually such...
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