Background
I’ve been actively pursuing conversations with scientists, biologists, and researchers, particularly with DNA researchers regarding the actual changes that happen with ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences). I have a subjective interest in this, because of all my cancers and childhood trauma. Last August, I did quite a bit of “lay” research on it. By lay, I mean, I was behind my computer searching the net.1
Mitochondria: The Power Source of Cells
During my undergraduate years with basic biology, I recalled learning about Mitochondria, the power source of cells. In my desire to try to find a solution for damaged biology due to ACE, I thought, “Maybe it’s the Mitochondria that gets damaged.” So, I clicked about, and confirmed all my bias’s2.
I was excited to talk to a real DNA scientist about my theory. And, uh, NOPE. Mitochondria is not the culprit. The scientists have been there and done that, oh, thirty years ago or so. I got an extensive session about methylated DNA3, and received lots of studies and papers that had been peer reviewed. I even learned that there’s a scientist, Mario Capecchi, at the U4 who received a Nobel Prize for his research with developmental biology.
At least I was on the right track in trying to learn more about what changes in a child’s body if they experienced severe trauma while their body in its growth and developmental stages.
As I wrote in Trauma News, there’s not much that can be corrected in one’s DNA, especially after the trauma has damaged those developmental cells — and cancer has ignited. However, I learned a lot5. And, as long as I had the ear of a renowned molecular geneticist, I asked, “So, biologically speaking, how does Denial serve us?
Biologically speaking: how does Denial serve us?
Silence. Shrugs: “Not sure if that’s been studied.”
The enthusiastic expert said, “Well, let’s assume we’re back in the Hunter and Gatherer times,”
“Okay.”
“You’re in a tribe and a couple of your guys go out to forage, and they get killed by a tiger. What are you going to do?”
I was silent for a moment, because I wasn’t sure what I’d do.
He continued, “You certainly wouldn’t go out there because of the tigers! For our species to survive, some had to have denied the existence of the threat and gone out to get the food.”
Okay, biologically speaking I could see his point.
I responded, “Well, based on that scenario, hypothetically, I’d like to think that I’d train my dog to help fight and distract those tigers so I could go out and forage the food. One doesn’t need to be in denial to survive.”
Laughter ensued.
Awareness is better than Denial
And, I stand by that. Yes, as my previous post about denial explained, denial can serve us6 if we don’t have the means to deal with the trauma. But, overall, it’s better to be aware and use our creative and cognitive abilities to find solutions, heal, and love.
I know that does not qualify as “research” but if I don’t use google or some other click bait search engine that merely feeds advertising dollars for clicks, at least I can read and usually understand some technical summaries of actual scientific studies and peer reviewed research.
Again, clicking about on the web is NOT research. It’s fun and interesting, but one must endeavor in extremely arduous studies with extensive variables and tested conclusions and peer reviews to make an actual “discovery.”
There’s more: I learned about the D-Loop areas of the Mitochondrai that are highly polymophric and change between siblings, euphemalic cells inside the nucleus and endo mitochondria, krebs cycles, ATP, AMP, and ADP with host phosphates effecting the glucose and energy to the muscle tissue, chromosomes, Geo DNA inside the female’s eggs, Symbolic Eukaryotic—we are multicell organisms, nuclear DNA, mutations, polymophisms (changes in DNA breeds true), the alpha helix of atoms, carbon and hydrogen and how they lock onto DNA, Nuclear DNA and more. Much more. In short, I understand the proven research about how trauma of Holocaust survivors is handed down to their offspring. As well as how trauma alters a child’s cell structure resulting in ACE. But, I also understand how it is unknown if methylating DNA, can be repaired. It is still unknown if it can be healed.
“U“ is the colloquial reference to the University of Utah.
See #3 above
