HYPOTHESIS AND THEORY article
Front. Ecol. Evol.
Sec. Models in Ecology and Evolution
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fevo.2025.1608810
POSTMODERN EVOLUTIONARY FRAMEWORK FOR CHRONIC DISEASES – CULTURAL EVOLUTION ALLOWS MULTICAUSAL EXPLANATIONS
Provisionally accepted
- 1Unit for Theoretical Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- 2Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
- 3University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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Abstract: Non-communicable diseases—such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases, diabetes, and chronic pain—pose significant global health challenges, causing millions of deaths annually. Traditionally, holistic frameworks have been developed to analyse these conditions. Although integrating biological, psychological, and social factors, the biopsychosocial model suffers from a lack of detail and practical application. By incorporating cultural evolutionary perspectives, we can better understand how evolutionary influences affect disease susceptibility and persistence. We propose a postmodern, evolutionary-informed biopsychosocial framework that draws on insights from cultural evolution and niche construction theory. This approach spans multiple evolutionary time scales—from immediate behavioural adaptations to long-term genetic and cultural changes—and provides a nuanced view of health condition dynamics. Ultimately, this interdisciplinary framework advances strategies for prevention and treatment by offering a differentiated and effective approach to managing modern health challenges. Lay Summary: A new framework combines biological, psychological, and social factors with cultural evolution to better understand long-term conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It spans immediate behavioural changes to long-term genetic and cultural influences, offering improved strategies for prevention and treatment.
Keywords: Adaptation and maladaptation, biopsychosocial model, Cultural Evolution, Evolutionary Medicine, Niche construction theory, Non-communicable diseases, Social learning
Received: 09 Apr 2025; Accepted: 30 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lange, Kaiser, Pradier, Pogatzki-Zahn and Segelcke. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Daniel Segelcke, segelcke@anit.uni-muenster.de
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