Luke Aulbert

UWRT 1103
Malcolm Campbell
4/11/2016

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Is ADHD Evolution?
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), a
mental illness in which every American thinks they seem to have at times. Many people seem to
think they have ADHD brain or say they are so ADHD. ADHD or Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental disorder which is characterized by the DSM-V as impairing
one's attention, shifting tasks constantly, and displaying hyperactive behavior (European
consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of Adult ADHD: The European Network Adult
ADHD). Although some people seem to think ADHD is just something kids experience
nowadays, recent research is showing perhaps ADHD is a product of natural selection, and at one
time needed to survive in nomadic settings. This idea that ADHD is a product of evolution is
controversial, however, as some psychologists, most notably Thomas Barkley, are strongly
against the notion that ADHD could have been linked to evolution. Many recent psychologists
such as Elaine Morgan and Dan Eisenberg, argue ADHD is a product of evolution, originating in
the nomadic time period. Finding ADHD is a product of evolution would contribute to the
hereditary knowledge of ADHD and therefore contribute to greater understanding of the disease
as a whole.
Recent Research Suggest Evidence
In 2008, Dan Eisenberg, a research psychologist of Northwestern University conducted
an experiment examining 150 Ariaal people in which half the group belonged to a civilized
population while the other half belonged to nomadic settings. Eisenberg notes a specific gene-

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allele expression that is commonly associated with ADHD, 7-DRD4. He notes 7-DRD4
desensitizes dopamine receptors in which lead to increased aggravated behavior. The study
concluded tribesmen who lived in nomadic settings who displayed traits of ADHD were better
nourished than those who did not display these traits. However, those living in civilized settings
who displayed ADHD traits were less nourished than those who did not display these traits (Is
ADHD Beneficial for Tribesmen page two). Eisenberg concluded tribesmen possessing ADHD
symptoms thrive in nomadic settings as these tribesmen were impatient, more athletic, and
constantly shifted from one prey to the next. In the discussion section of his research, Dan
Eisenberg points, discusses the advantages of these findings, stating schools could adapt their
curriculum in order to best suit the kids afflicted with ADHD and treatments could change due to
this finding. With this information, schools, therapist, and parents alike could treat ADHD as a
change in habits, not as something that will devastate a childs life. In his experiment, not only
does Eisenberg mention the scientific backing of certain gene alleles that could prove that there
is scientific evidence that backs the association with ADHD, but Eisenberg demonstrates there is
a correlation between this allele and ADHD, thus providing more evidence that ADHD might
have been evolutionary.
Eisenberg is not the only psychologist who states ADHD originated due to evolution. In
Tremblays research article ADHD: An Evolutionary Perspective, Tremblay cites theories in
which helps to explain why ADHD could have been a product of evolution. In order to back her
claim, Tremblay cites another research psychologists research, Dr. Elaine Morgans Descent of
Woman. In this article, Morgan proposes the wader theory for why ADHD could have actually
helped early humans. According to Morgan ADHD surfaced primarily due to humans spending

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time in aquatic waters and spent a majority of the evolutionary period going from quadrupedal to
bipedal (qtd. in Shelby Tremblay). Elaine Morgan concluded that an early human child spending
time in these waters needed to initiate contact with their mother to survive and quotes a previous
study by her stating afflicted with ADHD stating that children afflicted with ADHD initiate more
contacts with their mother and therefore possessed an evolutionary advantage over people who
were not afflicted with this illness. This theory, along with Eisenbergs research experiment
further cements the case that ADHD is a direct result of evolution.
In addition to the waders theory, this article also mentions two additional theories to help
prove why there could be an evolutionary connection between ADHD and nomadic survival, the
hunter theory and the fighter theory. In concerns to the hunter theory, Tremblay cites Thom
Hartmanns hunter theory in which states ADHD might have actually stemmed from our
ancestors to survive (qtd. in Shelby Tremblay). In this article, Tremblay writes traits of
distractibility, impulsiveness, and even aggression could have been beneficial to hunters. If a
hunter quickly noticed something shining in the dark, the source of light was either potential prey
or a potential predator(ADHD an evolutionary perspective). Given nomadic hunters depend
heavily on hunting as a source for food, these benefits would have definitely helped a person in
nomadic settings and would have given tribesmen afflicted with ADHD, an evolutionary
advantage. This might also help explain why Eisenberg found a higher prevalence of the allele
expression 7-DRD4 in nomadic tribesmen given 7-DR4D is associated with ADHD and this
Tremblay states hunters with ADHD would have had an evolutionary advantage. In the fighter
theory section of her research article, Tremblay notes the extinction of the Homo Neanderthals as
evidence that becoming a fighter was an advantage for early human civilization. According to

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Tremblay, she states that the extinction of the Neanderthals was caused by either having a
slightly reproduction rate, or by initiating aggression on the Neanderthals as they were in direct
competition with Homo Sapiens for resources, therefore aggression would have benefited
humans. Tremblay notes the typical aggression of fighters as well as people who are afflicted
with ADHD. Since both of these group show aggression, Tremblay has suggested that a fighter
with ADHD would have a greater advantage than a fighter without ADHD. These two theories
play a significant role in presenting evidence as to why ADHD could have been a product of
evolution and help to explain some of Eisenbergs findings as Tribesmen typically hunted and
showed more signs of aggression as opposed settled populations.
However, not all psychologists agree ADHD is caused by evolution. Dr. Thomas Barkley
provides a counter argument about why ADHD is not human evolution. In an interview
conducted on him by Thom Hartmann about whether or not ADHD is evolutionary. Dr. Thomas
Barkley proposes that we do not know enough about ADHD to conclude that ADHD is a product
of human evolution. Dr. Barkley states that just because people afflicted with ADHD can be
successful you cannot correlate ADHD with success. Barkley states Ulysses S. Grant was a
great general because he drank (ADHD Disorder or Difference). In his interview Dr. Thomas
Barkley fails to state any scientific evidence to back his claims up. To defend his argument, Dr.
Thomas Barkley states we do not know enough about psychology to firmly state ADHD is a
result of evolution and when we know enough about ADHD, we will be able to state that ADHD
is not caused by Human evolution. Thomas Barkley does not disprove any articles or studies of
psychologists such as Elaine Morgans Descent of women, he merely states that we do not know
enough about Psychology to say ADHD isnt evolution.

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Although this issue isnt explicitly broadcast in mainstream media, popular news sites
such as Slate.com are beginning to agree with the notion ADHD is evolutionary. In 2008, the
website Slate.com published an article citing Dan Eisenbergs study about ADHD, author of this
article, William Saletan states that perhaps ADHD might have been an evolutionary advantage in
the past. Saletan quotes Eisenbergs finding that Tribesmen who possessed ADHD symptoms
were better nourished than those who did not have ADHD symptoms (qtd. in Saletan). In this
article Saletan suggests that hunter gatherers had to know a bit of everything to survive and
mentions an ADHD persons tendency to switch from one activity to another. However, Saletan
also notes this doesn't mean ADHD is wonderful. Genes that promote fat storage may have been
similarly advantageous in subsistence environments, but obesity is still a curse(New World
Disorder). With this statement, Saletan is attempting to explain to the reader that just because
ADHD may be evolutionary doesnt mean this changes the nature of the disease.

In conclusion
Through these academic articles and studies, there is evidence to conclude ADHD could
have been passed down by evolution, particularly through Nomadic tribesmen. However, we
cannot confirm ADHD is evolutionary and furthermore, this does not mean ADHD is beneficial
today, as Slate Magazine points out that although excessive fat storage was beneficial in the past,
fat storage is not beneficial today for obvious reasons. Certain psychologists such as Thomas
Barkley argue ADHD is not evolutionary, stating that Psychologists do not know enough about
evolutionary history to confirm this is the case, however the majority of psychologist are leaning

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towards the notion of ADHD being evolutionary. Although Psychologist cannot confirm ADHD
is linked to evolution, recent research provides substantial evidence that a connection between
evolution and ADHD exist.

Works Cited
ADHD Hunter vs Farmer Theory ADHD Theories ADHD health, 09 Sept 2014. Web. 07
M

Mar. 2016

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Eisenberg, Dan Ta, Benjamin Campbell, Peter B. Gray, and Michael D. Sorenson.
Dopamine Receptor Genetic Polymorphisms and Body Composition in Undernourished
Pastoralists: An Exploration of Nutrition Indices among Nomadic and Recently Settled
Ariaal Men of Northern Kenya. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8.1 (2008): 173. Web. 7
Mar. 2016.
Hartmann, Thom, and Vaudree Lavallee. ADHD: Disorder or Difference? Thom Hartmann.
Thom Hartmann Program, 01 Nov. 2007. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.

Morgan, Elaine. "The Descent of Woman." (Book, 1972) [WorldCat.org]. World Cat, 2010. Web.
1

10 Apr. 2016.

Saletan, William. "Was ADHD an Evolutionary Asset?" New World Disorder. The Slate Group,
D

n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2016

Sandra et al. "BMC Psychiatry." European Consensus Statement on Diagnosis and the
Treatment of Adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD. BioMed Central, 03 Sept.
2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.
Shelley-Tremblay, John F., and Lee A. Rosn.Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: An
Evolutionary Perspective. The Journal of Genetic Psychology 157.4 (1996): 443-53.
Colorado State University, 2001. 15 Mar. 2016.