ADHD, a condition that causes inattention, may be a relic of hunter-gatherers
The Hunter-Gatherer ADHD Brain | Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/brain-curiosities/202502/the-hunter-gatherer-brain-of-adhd
ADHD is thought to affect 5-7% of the world's population. Some experts argue that ADHD is a 'disease of civilization' born out of the modern social environment, while others believe it is a symptom with clear roots that has existed for thousands of years.
In a paper published in 2020, evolutionary biologists from the University of Pompeu Fabra in Spain analyzed genome samples from Neanderthals and ancient Homo sapiens for traces of ADHD. As a result, they found that genes related to ADHD are among the genes essential for development, and the researchers report that this trait may have been acquired in the early society of our ancestors. They also found that the genetic mutation was present in both early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, and that the proportion of mutations found in the population steadily decreased after the Paleolithic period.
According to neurophysiologist Ludovico Sant'Amour di Chazas, author of the book ' ADHD User's Manual, ' which explains ADHD, ADHD is not a disease of civilization caused by various pressures in modern society, but rather a trait that has existed since ancient times but has become inutilized in modern times. For example, people with ADHD tend to be distracted and have delayed sleep cycles, and they tend to have problems such as being unable to concentrate and moving around or being late. On the other hand, in hunter-gatherer societies, exploration behavior is essential for safety and securing food, which leads to the ability to be active and constantly alert to their surroundings. In addition, some people who can delay their sleep cycles are valued in order to protect the community from danger while everyone is sleeping.
A study conducted by anthropologists from Northwestern University in the United States investigated the social status and nutritional status of people with a gene mutation that is often associated with ADHD in two tribes in Kenya. The results showed that while people with this gene mutation in nomadic tribes had good social status and nutritional status, people with the same mutation in sedentary tribes tended to be malnourished and viewed as untrustworthy, pointing out that ADHD tendencies may be evaluated differently depending on the nature of the society.
In a paper published in February 2024 by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, participants were given an online exploration task of 'hovering over a bush and collecting as many berries as possible in eight minutes,' and then took an ADHD screening test. As a result, people with ADHD tendencies spent more time exploring, moving on to the next bush as soon as they had collected a certain amount of berries from one bush. On the other hand, non-ADHD participants tended to focus on collecting all the berries from one bush and engaged in less exploration overall. The researchers concluded, 'Our findings suggest that ADHD traits may confer an advantage in foraging for food in some environments. People with ADHD may genetically retain a propensity to explore.'
People with ADHD traits, such as 'restlessness,' may be better at hunting than those without - GIGAZINE
'Recent research has shown that exercise, exposure to sunlight, and natural environments are all beneficial for people with ADHD, helping to manage symptoms and positive emotions,' said Shazas. 'These regulatory activities, which are part of a nomadic lifestyle, are necessary to minimize the disadvantages of ADHD, and ADHD traits are more likely to be disruptive in a society where people sit at a desk for eight hours a day. The hypothesis that ADHD is a vestige of hunter-gatherer societies gives us insight that not everyone is suited to a lifestyle that is active from around 8am to around 7pm.'
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