Molecular secret SF toughness
 

In my defense, I did the search thing on here, in several variations. I didn't find anything. So if this is reduntant....... tough! :boohoo This article goes back to 2/03. If I screwed up the search thing, fine. If not............ thoughts?

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3402

Nothin' like opening a can of worms before you need to hit the rack. Perhaps the Doc's out here know what Neuropeptide Y's are. I doubt most of us knew those existed. Isn't science wonderful? :munchin Hope this was the right forum.

fascinating.

this concluding sentence, though resonates for me:

"The researchers found that age, employment status and life stressors were more important factors in determining recovery."

this dovetails with my own observations.

one factoid that has me convinced is that soldiers who remain within the coccoons of their military lives evade many symptoms, or at least delay the onset of symptoms. I have repeatedly noticed that delayed onset of chronic symptoms follows an unsuccessful re-entry to civilian life. As long as guys stay on active duty, they are in comparatively good shape. When they leave their structured existence in the military....something happens to permit suppressed or previously managed symptoms to emerge.

as for the idea that peptide Y plays a role in suppressing symptoms of PTSD....whatever. It has long been known that the brain's biochemistry changes in some folks after exposure to trauma.

the idea that genetics and the "pipeline" together play a role in enhanced resistance to symptoms has not seemed to occur to the authors of this short article. If you think about it, both are obvious explanations.

1. A certain kind of person dares to volunteer for SF training. Genetics come into play, with self-selection by candidates.

2. There is an environmental component, as well, as self-selectees do not take the decision to join the military and become a triple volunteer in a vaccuum. Their life experiences also play a role.

3. The pipeline culls the weak and the weakly motivated. We have often noted, all of us, that the smartest or the weakest among us were never guaranteed success or failure. Lack of native intelligence can be overcome and compensated for by desire and hard work. Weakness...can be overcome through will and discipline...and hard work.

There are limits, of course.....the truly stupid do not survive, or last long....nor do the weak. Those who overcome their own limitations, who exhibit adaptability and flexibility...summarized as "agility"....those are the survivors. They have baseline genetic characteristics....and experiential qualities which endow them with the chance to outsmart or out-luck Murphy. Anyone can get injured.

thanks for posting that article. It made me think.

:)

A chemical explanation for Rules of the Regiment?

molecular secrets my butt
 

Having a background in molecular genetics, I find that article very amusing. The research we do is with blood pressure genetics, but it all has a similar root. It doesn't matter if you have the genetic predisposition to every disease on earth, with the correct (or incorrect) environment these things may or may not develop. As was stated by NDD and magician, it doesn't matter how big or how intelligent, it matters how you can apply your environment and experiences, not what peptides or genes you have.

Me too I have a molecular/genetic background. :p