Comments on: Differential Susceptibility – Are some brains more plastic than others?

By: Kitchens Bedford

Kitchens Bedford — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:38:17 +0000

I dont think there are more illnesses now than there were 50 or 100 years ago, but just that we keep discovering them. New species are discovered every day and I’m sure the same thing applies to illnesses. Understanding the illnesses is positive though, it helps us empathise and support people suffering from them.

By: Warren Davies

Warren Davies — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:49:19 +0000

There’s definitely the possibility that differences are being labelled as disorders a little over-zealously, but I think the deciding factor is whether they interfere with a person’s life. If they do in a severe way, there’s a case to be made to put some effort into researching the causes and treatments of it.

By: commercial lender bristol

commercial lender bristol — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:25:57 +0000

are there really more illnesses now than there were 50 or 100 years ago..? im sure we invent half of them either because we are lazy or scientists just need something to do. talking to older generations about such things its easy to see why someone might think this! my grandpa always says ‘in their day’ they just got on with it. i read an article linking internet use with depression… maybe its true who knows.

By: kanishk

kanishk — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:20:40 +0000

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By: Warren Davies

Warren Davies — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:40:52 +0000

Well, that’s the million dollar question, or one of them at least. Certainly the brain can retrain and alter itself in line with the experiences we’re having, but to what extent this can equate to changes in ADHD symptoms over time, I don’t know. I’m not very familiar with ADHD, so I wouldn’t feel right commenting on that.

By: Dot

Dot — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:52:49 +0000

Fascinating research with many ramifications! Thanks for posting it. Given the new info that some brains may be more plastic and therefore susceptible to environmental effects than others, my question for you is this:

Can the brain retrain itself? For instance, if someone has ADHD and can compare herself with her siblings, who do not have the condition, will she be able to consciously retrain her brain through plasticity exercises, or is it too late?
.-= Dot´s last blog ..Don’t Miss RehabRN’s Change of Shift Roundup =-.

By: Warren Davies

Warren Davies — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:06:01 +0000

Thanks, but I’m really just summarising Belsky and Pleuss’s work and these aren’t my conclusions (this is way out of my little league!).

By: webhotel

webhotel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 07:52:01 +0000

The way you drawn the results on the basis of such volatile facts is really awesome, thanks for sharing the great piece of knowledge!

By: Warren Davies

Warren Davies — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:32:18 +0000

Hello, welcome! That’s quite possibly true, there might be or have been some benefits to the kind of information-processing that goes along with ADHD etc. I’ll have to look into that one.

Good question – no, they were biological. The mother-child pairings were observed during a short play activity (structured in the same way for each pairing), and these results were used to predict measures taken 6 months later.

By: Some Omega-3 Junky

Some Omega-3 Junky — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:12:19 +0000

Hello fellow redditor! I enjoyed the well-constructed post. I think it’s pretty clear that ADHD and other temperamental disorders is a behavioral phenotype that is more than just a fluke, based on the preponderance within the human population. I believe there has to be advantages to such characteristics coming from some angle. I think, chiefly among those, the higher rate of autistic-spectrum disorders (ADHD, dyslexia, etc. included) among entrepreneurs is a good example.

One question for you! (And hey, install subscribe-to-comments so it’s easier for me to see your reply!)

“A number of other studies, however, have been designed in a way that gets around this problem, and many have supported the idea of general plasticity. To give an example, one study found that teenage boys with difficult temperament were the least likely to externalise problems after 6 months with sensitive, non-controlling mothers”

Were these foster parents? I know that you cited (thank you) but I think this could’ve been more clear in your post.