Neurodivergence

This is a Neurodivergence blog post about the DRD4 (Dopamine Receptor D4) gene.  Its position is Chromosome 11:637,269-640,706.  I have been interested in this gene for almost two decades because of its connection to novelty seeking and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Approximately 2.6% adults worldwide have persistent ADHD from childhood. Approximately 6.8% adults worldwide have symptomatic ADHD.  Almost two decades ago, I  got Thom Hartmann's book, The Edison Gene. It is based on the research studies of DRD4 7 Repeat allele which is present in 20% of the human population.  DRD4 7R allele has high frequency in the Americas but low frequency in Asia. It has been strongly linked to both ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and a behavior trait called "novelty seeking" which often underlies addiction. Scientists suggest that DRD4 7R occurred recently in human evolution between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago which was the period that anthro...

 I am not just a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD.  My neurological make include both Neurodivergence and Ataxia. Ataxia is defined as the inability to generate coordinated voluntary movement, which can manifest clinically with signs and symptoms such as clumsiness, nystagmus, dysmetria, abnormal or unsteady gait, dysdiadochokinesis, or dyssynergia. It's a rare neurological problem. The prevalence rate for hereditary ataxias is 10 cases per 100,000 individuals. The prevalence rate for childhood ataxias is 26 cases per 100,000 children.  I noticed Ataxia listed on my Veteran Affairs (VA) Problem List.  I thought my coordination problems were connected to Dyspraxia which is a common neurodivergent condition that commonly occurs with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder which are other neurodivergent conditions that I have. I had noticeable coordination problems in early childhood which led to neurological testing being done on me, and so I...