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This man has savant like artistic ability, the only catch is he has to be asleep or sleep walking to paint...

Oestrogen Dependent Cancer

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Breast Cancer Risk among Women on Long Island.
Brian N. Fink et al

Overview of Dietary Flavonoids: Nomenclature, Occurrence and Intake. Gary R. Beecher

Flavonoids were abundant in our evolutionary diet for millions of years, their hormonal and neuroactive properties were an integral part of our biochemistry significantly modifying the activity of our hormones and neural function.

An intriguing study highlighting the instinctive preference for flavonoid rich fruit in birds.

Dr Katharine Milton has studied the eating habits of our closest living relatives and published papers on the nutritional composition of a typical primate diet.

Visit her publications page for more relavent papers.

An article by science writer and biologist Colin Tudge highlighting the biochemically impoverished lives we now lead compared to our ancestors, the key section is highlighted in bold type.

Hollow mask illusion fails to fool schizophrenia patients.
UCL MEDIA RELATIONS

A brief introduction to 'Anosognosia'
Highly recommended!

A simple experiment in perception that further highlights the inability of the left side of the brain to perceive reality and an inability to update its reality in the face of overwhelming evidence, see under the heading dominance reactions.
This classic experiment conducted in 1949 demonstrates the degree to which we are governed by preconceptions or beliefs and the resistance and irrational reactions that emerge when those beliefs are shown to be false. While no reference is made to the left and right side of the brain later research would conclude that the dominant side of the brain is responsible for these perceptual and psychological quirks (see files on Anosognosia).

An excellent overview of savant syndrome with particular reference to the neurological evidence supporting a partial switch from the left to the right side of the brain to explain some of the phenomenal abilities that emerge.

A brief introduction to TMS

Another case of damage to the left releasing complex function in the right, the standard theory of hemispheric co-operation is cited in the article despite the apparent contradictions this and other cases imply.

If speech is the crowning glory of the rational left brains specialised evolution it seems a little odd that it does not have the ability to recognise voices without input from the 'normally' taciturn right brain.

Further neurological evidence for cerebral asymmetry and of most interest the way it manifests between the genders. The standard adaptive explanation is of course the product of cerebral asymmetry, you may need to read 'Left in the Dark' to understand what that means.

An astute overview of the typical ‘psychological’ incompatibilities between the genders, while culturally conditioned behavioural expectations are undoubtedly part of the problem, any underlying neurological origins of such behaviour and psychology will need to be addressed if a solution is to emerge.

From the emergence of the patriarchal/dominator culture and all the happy times that has brought us to Venus and Mars theories re gender differences it is apparent that there are some serious issues to resolve. However attempting to address these differences while presuming they are adaptive behavioural traits will make little progress. If the variation is hard wired during early neural development and the variation in its symptomolgy relates to variation in cerebral asymmetry then addressing the structural integrity and cerebral imbalance is where the solution lies.

One of the most common questions I get asked is ‘Why is the left side of our brain more hormonally retarded than the right?’

This recent article attempts to explain the ‘evolution’ of left hemisphere and right hemisphere specialisation in the human brain via adaptive selection. It is based on the same underlying genetic asymmetry that is central to the theory outlined in ‘Left in the Dark’. The key difference is current thinking makes no reference to the unique cocktail of chemicals that are sufficiently powerful to re-interpret genetic asymmetry when they are present. Lose those chemicals after tens of millions of years and the asymmetry re-emerges. Not as the product of adaptive selection, rather the delicate and precise structural, functional and perceptual results of a long period of co-evolution, left high and dry in a hormonally hostile developmental environment.

Summary of theory re human evolution with
emphasis on the influence of plant bio-chemistry.

James Howard has spent more than 20 years researching the role of steroids in human evolution. His conclusions differ from those outlined in Left in the Dark but add support to the significant role steroids have played in shaping our evolution development and function.
Also of interest is the chart showing how levels of testosterone compare between the great apes.
In order to make sense of the variation in these levels and the role they played in our evolution it would be necessary to account for any environmental or epigenetic factors that significantly modified or inhibited steroid activity.

Recent research has identified a number of chemicals including MAOi type antidepressants that can stimulate or over stimulate pineal activity. Obviously if pineal stimulating chemicals with similar properties were abundant in our ancestral forest diet and now they are chronically deficient then it follows that what is now considered typical pineal activity will be significantly lower than our ancestors.

Ancestral TSH Mechanism Signals
Summer in a Photoperiodic Mammal

A recent summary outlining some of the complex chemical feedback mechanisms that are dependent on melatonin. If melatonin production was higher in our evolutionary past and has since declined the knock on effects will have been very significant and complex.