Abantu abaphethe izinhlobo ezintathu zofuzo ezizuzwe njengefa kuma-Neanderthal bazwela kakhulu kwezinye izinhlobo zobuhlungu, ngokusho kocwaningo olusha (Communications Biology). Okutholakele kwakamuva kukhombisa ukuthi ukuzalanisa okwedlule namaNeanderthal kube nomthelela kanjani kufuzo lwabantu banamuhla. Abacwaningi bathole ukuthi abantu abaphethe okuhlukile okubizwa nge-Neanderthal okuthathu kufuzo i-SCN9A, ethinteka kuma-sensory neurons, bazwela kakhulu ezinhlungwini zokuhlaba isikhumba ngemuva kokuchayeka kuwoyela wesinaphi ngaphambili.