Neanderthals Cared for a Child with Down Syndrome

NEANDERTHALS CARED FOR 6-YEAR-OLD WITH DOWN SYNDROME

Research conducted by: MERCEDES CONDE-VALVERDE et.al.

Published in: Science Advances, June 26, 2024

A 6-year-old Neanderthal child had Down syndrome, a new analysis of an oddly shaped ear bone found in a cave in Spain suggests.
The finding is the first known case of Down syndrome in Neanderthals. The fact that the child, nicknamed Tina, lived into early childhood suggests that her Neanderthal group cared for her, providing evidence that Neanderthals engaged in altruistic behavior.
This child would have required care for at least 6 years, likely necessitating other group members to assist the mother in childcare,
The ear bone was initially excavated in 1989 at Cova Negra (Spanish for “Black Cave”) in Xàtiva, a town in the province of Valencia. Other Neanderthal remains at the cave date to between 273,000 and 146,000 years ago. However, the bone — a fragment of a temporal bone — was mixed with animal remains and wasn’t identified until recently.
Tina’s ear bone had an irregular shape that is consistent with Down syndrome, the team found.
Given that a 6-year-old with a challenging genetic condition wouldn’t have been able to help much in return, it’s likely that the Neanderthals helping her were altruistic