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Since I’ve been talking not only about the Neanderthal Predation theory but also about Danny Vendramini’s teem theory, I’d like to add that it’s worth reading the preface to Vendramini’s second book.

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Tangentially speaking, I’m not sure if these anecdotes (I mentioned this book to you before) would provide some evidence that – if not necessarily at the level of lasting DNA modification proposed by Teem Theory – traumatic experiences can at least physically alter the body permanently (albeit in harmful ways in these examples).

All quotes taken from “Structural Brain Changes in Psychotic Disorders, Dissociative Disorders, and After Childhood Adversity”, Chap. 10 of Psychosis, Trauma, and Dissociation by Andrew Moskowitz.

Hippocampal volume reduction is consistently found in adults who report having experienced childhood maltreatment. In humans as well as in animals, volume reductions are found in all hippocampal subfields after maltreatment. Animal studies suggest that, on a cellular level, pronounced stress-induces changes in the hippocampus include atrophy of excitatory apical dendrites on pyramidal cells, reduced number and activity in parvalbumin-containing interneurons, and reduced level of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA expression in all hippocampal subfields.

Some studies have reported increased amygdala volume after chronic stress in early life … amygdala volume change is sensitive to the timing of stress – the earlier the stress exposure the more vulnerable the amygdala. In addition, amygdala changes following stress may be non-linear, with early life stress tending first to increase amygdala volume but later to decrease it.

dorsolateral prefrontal regions and frontal parts of the anterior cingulate are central to cognitively oriented control functions, whereas orbitofrontal and ventromedial regions are central to the control and regulation of emotion. … grey matter volume losses have been observed in several regions of the frontal lobes, most prominently in the medial prefrontal and orbitofrontal regions … decreased GR mRNA expression, and increased oxidative stress in cortical parvalbumin-containing interneurons combined with reduced GAD67 expression

The detailed morphological changes following enduring stress likely contribute to altered regional activation levels, inter-regional functional interactions, and patterns of neural firing. … Structural changes in the hippocampus, amygdala, and frontal lobes after early life stress are associated with elevated release of stress hormones by the HPA axis

P.S. I should say, I haven’t read The Second Evolution (but will be buying it soon).

If I had to guess, I’d say the process worked similar to the ‘stress hormones’ explanation references by Moskowitz, except to such a degree that it impacted the DNA itself, and initially damaged the structure, followed by some type of catalytic biological process, of the type Stuart Kauffman writes about (as opposed to simply damaging the brain). I would have to find a book on quantum chemistry to explain it properly at molecular level. I’ll look forward to reading what he has to say, to save me rather a lot of effort.

How would you incorporate what Moskowitz says into Vendramini’s bigger picture? When does trauma cause irrevocable physical damage and when is it useful? Or would you say the first few generations experiencing it were ‘lost’ for the sake of the long term adaptive gain?

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