Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study • Hacker News Board

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#21

Post by SubiculumCode » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:25 PM UTC

I once listened to a scientific presentation that was interesting, but I don't remember the professor's name or whether his hypotheses have panned out long-term. That said, he flipped the script on the usual take on research trying to understand why some people respond to early adversity by going off the rails while others seem to trek through it relatively unaffected with positive outcomes. Usually the research focus had been on what differed in a person who would withstand the adversity without asking whether there was a tradeoff for the decreased vulnerability to early adversity. He then went on and presented initial evidence that, on the hand, the individuals that can do all right no matter what, they tended to never particularly excel, while on the other hand, individuals sensitive to early adversity tended to either crash hard or soar higher.

The idea was, thinking about species fitness, it made sense for some of the population that can make it through the hard times, and some of the population that can really take advantage of the good times, even if that meant very poor outcomes in the bad times...It's a hedging-like evolutionary strategy to try to make the most, at the population level, with what you are given.

Anyway, I found it provacative to think about.

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#22

Post by MyHonestOpinon » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:38 PM UTC

delichon wrote: post #3

Maybe colleges and scholarships that make admission decisions based on adversity can someday objectively measure it by DNA methylation. Also for reparations or welfare benefits. It would seem to be a more direct proxy than melanin pigment density. But on the other hand, adversity does not equal disadvantage, and in fact the trials that leave those marks -- beneath some threshold -- may bestow an advantage over unstre…

I am not sure if your initial paragraph was meant to be sarcastic. I do believe we should give additional help based on economic need rather than race or skin color.

Free universal preschool seems to have big impact. Also free universal school lunches are too. There may be other examples too.

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#23

Post by rkagerer » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:40 PM UTC

In a nutshell, is this basically "stress the part and it wears out faster"?

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#24

Post by klodolph » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:47 PM UTC

SubiculumCode wrote: post #21

I once listened to a scientific presentation that was interesting, but I don't remember the professor's name or whether his hypotheses have panned out long-term. That said, he flipped the script on the usual take on research trying to understand why some people respond to early adversity by going off the rails while others seem to trek through it relatively unaffected with positive outcomes. Usually the research focu…

Isn’t species fitness somewhat weak, though? I would want to think about this in terms of gene fitness. Over long periods of time, in different situations, genes that promote one strategy or the other will dominate part of the time and lose part of the time.

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#25

Post by alex43578 » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:49 PM UTC

SubiculumCode wrote: post #21

I once listened to a scientific presentation that was interesting, but I don't remember the professor's name or whether his hypotheses have panned out long-term. That said, he flipped the script on the usual take on research trying to understand why some people respond to early adversity by going off the rails while others seem to trek through it relatively unaffected with positive outcomes. Usually the research focu…

That makes sense from an evolutionary fitness perspective, but also just a social one. Consider the life outcomes of someone willing to gamble on founding a company, going out to settle a new land, or just take a social risk; compared to someone who works a mediocre entry level job for 20 years, never leaves their place of birth, or is a wallflower. The risk-taker can experience far more pronounced success or failures.

Higher highs, lower lows.

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#26

Post by alex43578 » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:53 PM UTC

MyHonestOpinon wrote: post #22

delichon wrote: post #3

Maybe colleges and scholarships that make admission decisions based on adversity can someday objectively measure it by DNA methylation. Also for reparations or welfare benefits. It would seem to be a more direct proxy than melanin pigment density. But on the other hand, adversity does not equal disadvantage, and in fact the trials that leave those marks -- beneath some threshold -- may bestow an advantage over unstre…

I am not sure if your initial paragraph was meant to be sarcastic. I do believe we should give additional help based on economic need rather than race or skin color. Free universal preschool seems to have big impact. Also free universal school lunches are too. There may be other examples too.

Sure, many of those interventions are widely accepted. The controversial question is when do they stop?

If, despite those interventions, your ACT score is 9 points below a more affluent student, do you still deserve a boost? At 35, despite picking up a conviction for theft and possession, and now working a minimum wage job, should the taxpayers have to fund a 2 bedroom apartment for you, pay for your groceries, pay for your healthcare?

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#27

Post by rolph » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:55 PM UTC

klodolph wrote: post #24

SubiculumCode wrote: post #21

I once listened to a scientific presentation that was interesting, but I don't remember the professor's name or whether his hypotheses have panned out long-term. That said, he flipped the script on the usual take on research trying to understand why some people respond to early adversity by going off the rails while others seem to trek through it relatively unaffected with positive outcomes. Usually the research focu…

Isn’t species fitness somewhat weak, though? I would want to think about this in terms of gene fitness. Over long periods of time, in different situations, genes that promote one strategy or the other will dominate part of the time and lose part of the time.

it is manifestation of a physical law at a higher level of organization.

it is gene fitness, except the observer is focused on species population level dynamics rather than individual level dynamics.

they may look very different however the fundamental mechanism is contribution of a biopolymer to variations of biological fitness

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#28

Post by alex43578 » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:56 PM UTC

bossyTeacher wrote: post #16

consensus1 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe colleges can just accept the best students and do their job of educating them instead of arrogantly appointing themselves as saviors and righters of all wrongs in the world.

> Maybe colleges can just accept the best students If you want to see what a world where universities do that, check Europe in the 11th century. You might just like it

And if you want to see a world where colleges accept everyone, without requiring a minimum qualification, look at our current system: over 50% of students lack proficient literacy skills.

It shouldn’t be controversial to recognize that some students are not capable of success in college.

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#29

Post by rolph » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:58 PM UTC

readthenotes1 wrote: post #13

consensus1 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe colleges can just accept the best students and do their job of educating them instead of arrogantly appointing themselves as saviors and righters of all wrongs in the world.

In the USA, at least, "every student college bound" has led to colleges being simply more high school but at an enormous cost of creating indentured servents. It will be very hard to to force colleges to downsize to the appropriate population count. Lots of prestige and money on the line

the size of the cohort isnt the problem, its the enshrinement of catechisms that perpetuate a mentality of blue collar legacy.

Re: Early adversity leaves lasting molecular imprint across the body: primate study

#30

Post by carabiner » Thu, Jun 25, 2026, 8:59 PM UTC

My parents were born in 1949 korea and I recently realized (thru talking to AI) that that's probably why they were/are so fucked up. Basically first 4 years of their lives were surrounded by destruction, death, like Gaza right now. Then after that an upbringing in famine and authoritarianism. Body keeps the score, eh.