For prodigies like Alonzo Clemens and Leslie Lemke, they reveal a startling, almost innate ability in their areas of pursuit; however, despite being talented they aren't capable of functioning in daily society. For these supposedly "disabled" people, they are considered abnormal and fail to be recognized for their skills, yet other prodigies that can function in society and are considered gifts, like Yo-yo Ma and Michael Jordan, are praised for their talents. For the impaired, they are given "savant syndrome" where the brain's left hemisphere is damaged, which causes the right side to compensate for the loss of function. Regardless, the purpose of this damage is "to create the opportunity for the ability to develop" (89). Yet if that is the case, then doesn't everyone have "savant syndrome" because of the ability of the brain to develop? After all, an organism can't change because they need to or have to, but because of mutations. The turning on of genes to promote growth in parts of the brain relates to regulation as a response to environmental stress, but to what extent are these changes beneficial to evolution for natural selection?
(Diana Liao - dianaliao3@gmail.com)
A theme throughout David Shenk's book is that the expression of genes is directly related to environmental stimuli, also knows as GxE, not G+E, so not just DNA compounded with positive environmental factors like a good education equals high intelligence. Instead, an interaction of the two factors is what creates intelligence.
ReplyDeleteSavant syndrome is a very precise interaction between gene expression and environmental stimuli which results in high leveled skills and abilities but with below average intelligence. Not everyone has savant syndrome due to the ability of the brain to develop because again, it's a precise interaction between external stimuli and gene expression where the impairment of the brain's left hemisphere allows for the right hemisphere to overcompensate for that impairment and that leads to the highly skilled. It's not a simple formula that if one meets the standards of 'impairment' in the left hemisphere that they will suddenly be an expert in music or art. For example, researchers studying the savant syndrome found that using magnetic pulses to deactivate the left frontotemporal lobe in normal individuals caused noticeable increases in savant-like tendencies. But even though that's occurred, the subjects didn't instantly activate innate intelligence, rather, it provided the capability and framework for those people to develop extreme talents. Continuous practice of an activity can lead to enhanced ablility due to better cognitive learning. And this is a perfect example of how intelligence is a process, not a simple mix of genes and environmental factors. But clearly there is no such environmental formula to pave the way for clear expression of genes to excel at a certain activity, sport, instrument, etc.
In terms of evolution, an example would be bacterial cells, found on page 561 in the Campbell textbook. Bacteria can't magically develop resistance like to a nutrient lacking environment quickly without a mutation, unless placed in an unfavorable environment. That may cause the bacterial cells to code for proteins that surround the copied chromosome with a protective wall and the resistant cells, called endospores, can survive for a much longer time with for example, a slower metabolism, allowing for a better chance of survival in an unfavorable condition. Not only can this relate to evolution, it also touches on homeostasis because of the bacteria cell making a protective layer and thus slowing down its metabolism when in an unfavorable condition to maintain processes within the cell.
(mindy shaw, mindyshaw95@yahoo.com)