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One of the more controversial approaches to ADHD is the "Hunter versus Farmer" theory, which holds that the disorder is indeed genetic, but far from being a disadvantage, was an evolutionary asset thousands of years ago when our ancestors were nomadic hunter-gatherers. The idea is that many of the typical traits attributed to ADHD -- such as impulsivity and novelty-seeking -- were beneficial at a time when our forebears were struggling to survive in harsh and uncertain pre-agricultural, subsistence environments.
Researchers tested the theory using data from the northern Kenyan Ariaal tribe. About 35 years ago, the tribe essentially split in two, when some members who had been nomadic settled down into an agricultural way of life. Both factions of the tribe were tested for the DRD4 7R+ allele, a genetic variation linked to ADHD symptoms. The study found that the still-nomadic members who had the variant allele were generally healthier than those who lacked it. Conversely, the "agricultural" tribe members exhibited the opposite effect: Those with the allele associated with ADHD fared worse than those lacking it, mirroring the situation in, for instance, the U.S.
The theory, then, is that ADHD behavior favors nomadic hunters, for whom a short attention span and unpredictable behavior might make the difference between survival and starvation. Significantly, contemporary males worldwide -- the traditional hunters -- are diagnosed with ADHD about three times as frequently as females.
Researchers tested the theory using data from the northern Kenyan Ariaal tribe. About 35 years ago, the tribe essentially split in two, when some members who had been nomadic settled down into an agricultural way of life. Both factions of the tribe were tested for the DRD4 7R+ allele, a genetic variation linked to ADHD symptoms. The study found that the still-nomadic members who had the variant allele were generally healthier than those who lacked it. Conversely, the "agricultural" tribe members exhibited the opposite effect: Those with the allele associated with ADHD fared worse than those lacking it, mirroring the situation in, for instance, the U.S.
The theory, then, is that ADHD behavior favors nomadic hunters, for whom a short attention span and unpredictable behavior might make the difference between survival and starvation. Significantly, contemporary males worldwide -- the traditional hunters -- are diagnosed with ADHD about three times as frequently as females.
