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From: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: The next generation ....
Message-ID: <396@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Oct-85 11:27:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: cylixd.396
Posted: Mon Oct 21 11:27:25 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 23-Oct-85 04:27:29 EDT
References: <726@decwrl.UUCP> <> <816@nmtvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: charli@cylixd.UUCP (Charli Phillips)
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 37
Summary: 

Andrew Fine writes:
>Is manic depression inheritable along the male line, and is it linked with
>very high intelligence?  It seems that the intelligence is dominant 
>( has been for at least three generations to my knowledge ), so if I
>get married and have children, should I be on the lookout for "gifted"
>traits in the children, and if the children are undergoing accelerated
>developement, should I be on the lookout for "irregular" behaivior?
>

Don't worry about silly questions.  (I had a teacher years ago who told
her classes that the only silly questions are the ones you don't ask.
If you ask and learn something, the question was useful, not silly.)

The inheritance of both mental illness and intelligence is *extremely*
complex.  They are *not* simple dominant-recessive traits, like 
some forms of baldness, albinism, and dwarfism.  (Forms of mental
illness caused by specific metabolic problems may be simple dominant-
recessive traits, but these are rarely problems in this country, since
the underlying metabolic problems can be identified and treated.)  Most
mental illness appears to be multi-factorial with respect to the genetic
component, and is of course affected greatly by environment (diet,
upbringing, and so on).  Problems of genetic penetrance and "threshold"
effects in environment further complicate the question.  The inheritance
of intelligence appears to be equally as complex.   I know of no
research that indicates that intelligence and mental illness are 
linked.

My qualifications for answering this question are limited, based on a
psychology minor in college and a couple of classes in genetics,
including one in human medical genetics.  My knowledge is, of course,
dated, since I've not done further research or study in the fields.  I
would recommend that you consult a genetic counselor to answer your
questions about heredity (your family physician should be able to refer
you to one), and to see an expert in the education of gifted children
at whatever time you have children and note that they seem to be gifted.

	charli