"Reversed Evolution" siblings can only walk on all

[Mange]

This is from the Swedish evening paper Aftonbladet (yes, it's a tabloid, but it's nothing like National Enquirer or anything), but the pictures really shows what's it all about. Siblings (one brother and four sisters) in a Kurdish family living in Eastern Turkey have a genetical defect that prevents them from walking upright. The parents are closely related which is thought to have been the factor behind the "reversed evolution":

Swedish Aftonbladet article

[Mange]

I found an article about it on BBC as well:

Family may provide evolution clue[/url]

[mr friendly guy]

Interesting regarding the nature of the defect, although I doubt it will help our understand of human evolution in the past per se for a few reasons.

1) one of the reasons why chimps can't walk upright is the angle which their femur meets the pelvis. Given the article didn't mention it, it is unlikely their lack of bipedalism is due to an anatomical defect. This makes it likely that the cause of this is a different mechanism.

2) It is very difficult for evolution to "go backwards". So using the term "reverse evolution" is misleading. This is like saying because cynodots evolve to become marine animals (whales) its giving us an idea of how fish evolved into amphibians with their "reverse evolution"

3) while its inconclusive how much their ataxia contributes to their quadrupulism, I would speculate this is more likely a cause than any reverse evolution. In short the evidence so far suggests the problem is neurological, rather than anatomical (see point 1).

[wolveraptor]

Watching them run would be awesome.

[kheegster]

Interesting regarding the nature of the defect, although I doubt it will help our understand of human evolution in the past per se for a few reasons.

1) one of the reasons why chimps can't walk upright is the angle which their femur meets the pelvis. Given the article didn't mention it, it is unlikely their lack of bipedalism is due to an anatomical defect. This makes it likely that the cause of this is a different mechanism.

2) It is very difficult for evolution to "go backwards". So using the term "reverse evolution" is misleading. This is like saying because cynodots evolve to become marine animals (whales) its giving us an idea of how fish evolved into amphibians with their "reverse evolution"

3) while its inconclusive how much their ataxia contributes to their quadrupulism, I would speculate this is more likely a cause than any reverse evolution. In short the evidence so far suggests the problem is neurological, rather than anatomical (see point 1).

Their condition is most likely due to a genetic defect, and by studying their genes, it might shed light on what genes are responsible for bipedal motion.

[LadyTevar]

Since the bbc article mentioned signs of brain damage, it may simply be the children were unable to go from crawling to walking like a normal toddler.

[FSTargetDrone]

Just saw video of this on Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann on MSNBC.

The siblings are apparently all mentally disabled and have minimal communication abilities, and from looking at them move around, they did not move fast at all, and did so with their backsides up above their heads. It cannot be comfortable to do this.

It almost looks as if they started doing this because it was easier to balance than walking upright (for whatever reason they do not), or something along those lines.

Looks more like a birth defect present among the family's children more than any kind of "reverse evolution."

[FSTargetDrone]

Since the bbc article mentioned signs of brain damage, it may simply be the children were unable to go from crawling to walking like a normal toddler.

Meant to add, the mother did say they tried walking upright early on, but could not.

[LadyTevar]

Since the bbc article mentioned signs of brain damage, it may simply be the children were unable to go from crawling to walking like a normal toddler.

Meant to add, the mother did say they tried walking upright early on, but could not.

Then it's nothing more than brain damage, nothing evolutionary or revolutionary here.

[FSTargetDrone]

Then it's nothing more than brain damage, nothing evolutionary or revolutionary here.

Yep, and they've been doing this long enough to have developed thick calluses on their palms.

Quite sad seeing them move around like that.