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This seems to also validate the feelings of black Americans who themselves may not have experienced segregation but were born soon after from parents who had. A

This seems to also validate the feelings of black Americans who themselves may not have experienced segregation but were born soon after from parents who had. And I wonder how many generations it can have effects. E.g. could there still be markers from the effects of slavery?

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
atypicaluser 4y ago
The findings may validate the feelings of anyone oppressed or suffering long-term deprivation, but what does it really mean for their descendants? For example, what were the long-term effects, not just for black Americans, but for survivors of the Irish Potato Famine or the Holocaust? And if the effects were negligible for these latter two groups, what does that mean for the former? Considering most humans in most places at most times lived in deprived circumstances, I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet on the nature of Schmitz et al.'s findings. Remember their findings 'could be linked,' not 'are linked.'
klyrs 4y ago
Exposure to famine, or more generally malnutrition, is linked with diabetes and heart disease. Exposure to DDT effects epigenetic changes, resulting in predisposition to obesity. It's hard to believe that generations of oppression inflicted on black and indigenous Americans wouldn't have a lasting impact. Especially given the prevalence of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in those populations. https://heart.bmj.com/content/84/6/595 https://heart.bmj.com/content/84/6/595 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428621/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428621/ https://www.thejuggernaut.com/south-asian-diabetes-incidence https://www.thejuggernaut.com/south-asian-diabetes-incidence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124473/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124473/
nestorD 4y ago
Slavery has introduced a strong evolutionary pressure which has a measurable effect on the genetic mix present in African Americans. Sadly, the subject is barely researched (the last time I checked, the only paper tackling the subject directly had been written by a team of Chinese researchers that are now studying the genetics of Uyghurs...), for understandable reasons (no one wants to risk having their research misrepresented by racists in search of scientific justifications).
feet 4y ago
Absolutely, I don't know if they're identified yet but generational trauma and stress is definitely a thing and it gets passed down
- jiscariot 4y ago
  When we use phrases like "generational trauma" being passed down, we end up misleading a lot of people on how genetics work. This phrase is often used in a political context, and to my knowledge there is not a good scientific foundation for it.
  - feet 4y ago
    Information on epigenetic inheritance https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172332/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172332/
- raducu 4y ago
  I'm familiar with generational trauma from a psychological perspective, but wouldn't a genetical/physiological aspect of it have to be self limiting? I mean, I'm sure we all have millions of years of trauma in our genetic past.
  - feet 4y ago
    The same could be said for trauma that is passed behaviorally, it is limited eventually. I would actually suspect they are related

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

atypicaluser 4y ago

The findings may validate the feelings of anyone oppressed or suffering long-term deprivation, but what does it really mean for their descendants? For example, what were the long-term effects, not just for black Americans, but for survivors of the Irish Potato Famine or the Holocaust? And if the effects were negligible for these latter two groups, what does that mean for the former? Considering most humans in most places at most times lived in deprived circumstances, I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet on the nature of Schmitz et al.'s findings. Remember their findings 'could be linked,' not 'are linked.'

klyrs 4y ago

Exposure to famine, or more generally malnutrition, is linked with diabetes and heart disease. Exposure to DDT effects epigenetic changes, resulting in predisposition to obesity. It's hard to believe that generations of oppression inflicted on black and indigenous Americans wouldn't have a lasting impact. Especially given the prevalence of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in those populations. https://heart.bmj.com/content/84/6/595 https://heart.bmj.com/content/84/6/595 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428621/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428621/ https://www.thejuggernaut.com/south-asian-diabetes-incidence https://www.thejuggernaut.com/south-asian-diabetes-incidence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124473/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124473/

nestorD 4y ago

Slavery has introduced a strong evolutionary pressure which has a measurable effect on the genetic mix present in African Americans. Sadly, the subject is barely researched (the last time I checked, the only paper tackling the subject directly had been written by a team of Chinese researchers that are now studying the genetics of Uyghurs...), for understandable reasons (no one wants to risk having their research misrepresented by racists in search of scientific justifications).

feet 4y ago

Absolutely, I don't know if they're identified yet but generational trauma and stress is definitely a thing and it gets passed down

jiscariot 4y ago
When we use phrases like "generational trauma" being passed down, we end up misleading a lot of people on how genetics work. This phrase is often used in a political context, and to my knowledge there is not a good scientific foundation for it.
- feet 4y ago
  Information on epigenetic inheritance https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172332/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172332/
raducu 4y ago
I'm familiar with generational trauma from a psychological perspective, but wouldn't a genetical/physiological aspect of it have to be self limiting? I mean, I'm sure we all have millions of years of trauma in our genetic past.
- feet 4y ago
  The same could be said for trauma that is passed behaviorally, it is limited eventually. I would actually suspect they are related