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[The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.]
If evolution weeds out detrimental traits, why do some seem to stick around? Well, what’s bad in our current environment may have been good in the conditions under which we evolved. New research indicates that even the tendency toward attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may have been beneficial under the right circumstances. The study was published this week in BioMed Central.
Dan Eisenberg is an anthropologist at NorthwesternUniversity. He investigated two groups of the same tribe of Kenyans. One group still lives a traditional nomadic lifestyle and one recently settled in villages. About 20 percent of individuals in both groups have a genetic mutation that’s associated with food cravings and ADHD. Eisenberg collected body mass index and height data of adult males. Those with the ADHD-associated gene who were still nomads were better nourished than those without the gene. But those with the gene who¹d settled down were less fit. The ADHD-related gene may encourage behaviors beneficial for nomads. A boy with this allele might more effectively defend livestock or locate food and water sources. But maybe he wouldn’t do so well at farming or sitting in a classroom.
—Cynthia Graber
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7 Comments
Add CommentThis podcast implies that while ADHD may have been beneficial in the past, it's a pure liability today. I've heard several people with ADHD say that those of us without ADHD are deficient because we lack their ability to scan the horizon and multitask.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisJust like being fat. Being fat is bad, except during a famine, where being fat is good.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think that the majority of children said to have ADHD have not been diagnosed via genetic screening. I would have to know what the evidence is that the gene in question correlates to ADHD or food cravings.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt would be a lot more interesting if there were more depth to this article.
I think everyone is missing the point here. It is the old argument of "gift or curse".
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is the constraints that society, especially American society; puts on those that that think differently from the status Quo.
Think about this, every time you flip a light switch, an ADHD mind tought of it first. Those with this trait thrive in a slipstream of thought that many can not understand. They are the explorers of mankind. Goto: http://www.adhdrelief.com/famous.html You may be surprised.
Thanks for the information on ADHD.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWe recently wrote an article on if having ADHD affects children in school at Brain Blogger. Having a child with ADHD is hard work, especially when having ADHD affects their school life. There was a study that followed 370 adolescents who have ADHD as well as 740 controls (There were two controls for each adolescent with ADHD.) and showed that ADHD students are absent more, have lower standardized reading scores, dropout of school at higher levels, and are held back more often.
We would like to read your comments on our article. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Kelly
I have been joking a lot recently about having a personality of someone with ADHD and told my daughter in conversation that I thought I would have been happier in a hunter/gatherer society. I think the study just might have hit the nail on the head!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy son (now age 13) has always wanted to ride the open range. You know, like the old west movies of the 1950's and 1960's. I totally see him living the nomad life. He is always making a deal to work with the snackbar manager to get extra food while his older brother (now 15) would rather sit and wait for the food to find him. In fact, my husband and I have been trying to figure out what careers would be best suited for a person like my youngest (ADHD) nomad. Any suggestions?
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