ADHD runs in families because of the parents own stress impacting their children, rather than through pure genetics
Studies do show that if parents or siblings have ADHD, a child in that family will have a greatly increased statistical risk for having ADHD as well. ADHD is also found more commonly in people whose first-degree relatives are alcoholics or suffer from depression, anxiety, addiction, OCD or Tourette’s syndrome. It may appear from such facts that this motley collection of related syndromes is largely hereditary—but to assume that would be like believing that if there are three generations of butchers or bakers or candlestick makers in a family, then meat cutting, baking and candle manufacturing must also be genetic.
The family atmosphere in which the child spends the early formative years has a major impact on brain development. The brains of babies mimic the emotional conditions of their caregivers. The quality of the relationships with childhood caregivers determines the capacity for a healthy stress-response. It is obvious that brain/mind problems such as ADHD are far more likely to develop in families where the parents are struggling with dysfunction or psychological problems of their own. It would be astonishing if children growing up in such unsettled environments did not develop some of the same problems. No genes need be involved at all for these conditions to run in families.
References
- Mate, Gabor. (1999). Scattered Minds Chapter 6 Different Worlds Heredity and the Environments of Childhood ()
Metadata
Type:🔴 Tags: Biology / Neuroscience / Developmental Neurology Status:☀️