Neanderthal genes may explain why some people have Chiari malformation type I, a condition in which the brain bulges out of the back of the skull.

The origin of some neuropsychiatric diseases, such as autism, bipolar disorder, or depression, and certain neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, can be found in very early stages of brain formation in the fetus.

“All of a sudden, she could not read or write,” says her father, Ken Mok, Los Angeles-based writer, director, and founder of the production company, 10x10 Entertainment, and a creator of America's Next Top Model. “She could not write her name; she could not remember anything.”