Weekly Genetics Quote #14: Unraveling The ADD/ADHD Fiasco

This week’s genetics quote is from Unraveling The ADD/ADHD Fiasco: Successful Parenting Without Drugs by David B. Stein, PhD.

Please understand that if a DNA or gene connection is made with ADD/ADHD (IA/HM), as it probably will be one day, that still doesn’t mean it is a disease. It probably means we have found one component that contributes to the normal physiological differences of children labeled as ADD/ADHD (IA/HM) and nothing more. Eventually, we’ll find these genetic components for just about every behavior pattern, including introversion and extroversion, anxiety, being a happy or sad person, being energetic or note energetic, active or less active, and so forth. Once again, none of these are diseases. DNA findings only explain the genes and our physiologies that underlie every form of noromal behavior. Thus, we still have to deal with the issue of well-defined boundaries for disease versus nondisease.

Dr. Stein makes an interesting point about how we come to define something as nebulous as behavior and psychology as a disease. At what point do we determine that something is abberant? If the thinking is that anything which interferes with our ability to function well in society is a disease, then we’d have many geniuses and otherwise amazing people categorized as having a disorder, such as Einstein with Asperger’s.

This is also what we need to think about when it comes to gene therapy. How will we decide who needs to have his/her genes tampered with? Everyone has different levels of tolerance. It’s an issue we’ll have to consider as genomic technology advances.