Ana Gonzalez

News Analysis #2

The main conclusions of the scientists consisted on new discoveries related to psychiatric
disorders and mental illness. For years, scientists have tried connecting environmental and societal
conditions, genetics, evolutionary factors, and many others to mental illness. Recently, they have
successfully used massive human genome databases to conduct some research. Their projects were
various, but every single one proved to be useful. One of the projects consisted of identifying signs of
natural selection over the past 2,000 years.1 In addition, they would attempt to connect them to certain
mental illnesses. However, no signs were correlated using this statistical method. Another one of their
studies suggested environmental conditions could contribute to the development of illnesses as well, such
as rainfall, snow, heat, or humidity. The study found people who lived in colder, European regions were
more prone to schizophrenia. However, they will not be counting the accuracy of this study until
conducted in other regions as well. Finally, a third study suggested an overactive immune system was an
evolutionary trait acquired as resistance to disease, but it is also involved in the development of
psychiatric disorders.

This information would assist individuals when conducting further research to find
treatment, predicting whether they are prone to certain illnesses, and finding out reasons behind
the illness itself. I want to believe this may also be the beginning to find a cure for mental
disorders. Health care practices would most likely have a lot more to offer in the mental disorder
section, and may even be a profit for most hospitals that extend their programs. Mental illness is
a disease that has affected millions of individuals, including our veterans who have served for
their country. This is an open door for many individuals who have questions about their
conditions and it provides a wider set of options for treatment and cures. Even just answers to
why they acquired their disease would be some weight off their shoulders.
There was a number of scientists mentioned in this article along with their corresponding
universities. Barbara Stranger conducted the experiment that tried identifying natural selection
signs, and she works with University of Chicago in Illinois. I could not find an answer to
whether this University is for-profit or non-profit. Another scientific mentioned was Renato
Polimanti at Yale University, which is a non-profit organization.2, Bernard Crespi is an
evolutionary biologist at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada and the organization is
also non-profit 3. Most of the scientists are affiliated with non-profit Universities, which
personally gives me some peace of mind. These Universities have a lot of prestige and are
known to have contributed to discoveries more than once. I do not think this changes my view of

1
"Geneticists are starting to unravel evolution's role in mental illness." Nature News. Accessed November 02,
2017. https://www.nature.com/news/geneticists-are-starting-to-unravel-evolution-s-role-in-mental-illness-
1.22914#/b1.
2
"Non-Profit & Tax Exempt Status." Non-Profit & Tax Exempt Status | Student Organizations. Accessed
November 02, 2017. http://studentorgs.yalecollege.yale.edu/manage-your-organization/finances/non-profit-tax-
exempt-status.
3
"Simon Fraser UniversityEngaging the World." Non-Profit Management Certificate | Why this program? -
Continuing Studies - Simon Fraser University. Accessed November 02, 2017. https://www.sfu.ca/continuing-
studies/programs/non-profit-management-certificate/why-this-program.html.
the study, especially because the source of the article is reliable. However, it would definitely make
me reconsider if they were related to any pharmaceutical company due to the fact these companies see
nothing but profit.

The article did not exactly expand my views on the topic, but I had mentioned in one of
our assignments before I wished these exact findings could be done. I chose the article because
the topic was familiar I had already stopped to think about. I truly believe our DNA and our
genes hold all the secrets to specific cures. DNA provides a personalized insight to every single
person, and that may allow patients to get customized treatment in order to get the most benefit.
Furthermore, I think the author of the article did a great job; the headline was very interesting
and drew attention. The article was also an easy read with a topic I was already extremely
interested in, so it was easy to follow. They provided various experiments with supporting
evidence and the names of all scientists conducting them. The organization of the article and the
explanations did not include a lot of complicated lingo and provided simple sentences with the
main discoveries and conclusions. Scientific and scholar articles are a hard read all on their own,
but I enjoyed this one quite a bit.