Autism as Transgenerational Trauma - a hypothesis

Post Reply New Topic

I learned about epigenetics in school and have some familiarity with the word, although my understanding may be rudimentary. As I understand it, epigenetics is a process by which the environment can impact expression of certain genes within a single lifespan, and this change can then be inherited by offspring as well. That is a pathway for rapid, rather than gradual change as we commonly think of evolution.

I would not throw your hypothesis out the window at all, in fact there are not any clear answers given about causes for autism anywhere online (except by hoaxsters & conspiracy theorists).

Besides WW2, other environmental changes should be looked at. What about the prevalence of antibiotic therapy? My mother had me on antibiotic regimens ("twice a day and don't stop taking it until the bottle is empty") at least a dozen times before the age of 15.

Then processed foods. I know a lot of people that consume a ton of sugar. Others that use artificial sweeteners. Diets have changed radically from 1900 - 2024.

Then pollution. There is all kinds of contaminants in our food, water, and soil. In fact, a newborn baby has plastic all throughout its body. Tiny plastic particles. Wild, huh?

Surely all of that has some effect. All of these environmental stressors impact the human stock. We are after all animals when you come right down to it, and we are close to the soil from which we rise.