Bones reveal first evidence of Down syndrome in Neanderthals discovered in Spain

Amazing stuff! How much is wishful thinking though?

"More than 146,000 years ago, Neanderthals hunted birds and other game during short stays at a Spanish cave called Cova Negra. Anthropologists studying the bones they left behind came across one that stood out: a part of the skull that contains the inner ear bones just a few centimeters long, from a child who lived to about age 6.

The bone displays a handful of tiny anomalies most commonly found in people with Down syndrome today. The child likely had this condition and had hearing loss, scientists report today in Science Advances—the oldest known example of the condition. If confirmed, the finding would add to the evidence that our close cousins cared for vulnerable members of their communities. ..."

From the abstract:

"Caregiving for disabled individuals among Neanderthals has been known for a long time, and there is a debate about the implications of this behavior. Some authors believe that caregiving took place between individuals able to reciprocate the favor, while others argue that caregiving was produced by a feeling of compassion related to other highly adaptive prosocial behaviors. The study of children with severe pathologies is particularly interesting, as children have a very limited possibility to reciprocate the assistance. We present the case of a Neanderthal child who suffered from a congenital pathology of the inner ear, probably debilitating, and associated with Down syndrome. This child would have required care for at least 6 years, likely necessitating other group members to assist the mother in childcare"

Bones reveal first evidence of Down syndrome in Neanderthals | Science | AAAS Individual’s survival into early childhood suggests a high level of community care

The child who lived: Down syndrome among Neanderthals?

Fig. 2. 3D model of the inner ear of CN-46700.