The Major Cause Of Imbecility In Humans

The term 'imbecile' was once used by psychiatrists to denote a category of people with moderate to severe intellectual disability.

The word arises from a Latin word - 'imbeciles', meaning weak-minded or weak.

These people are said to have mental retardation, ranging from an IQ of 26-50.

The are many causes of imbecility, ranging from congenital, chromosomal, intrauterine damage, premature or protracted birth, or infections and accidents in infancy or childhood.

But my main point here is the major causes of imbecility in infants, which is Down's syndrome.

Down's syndrome was first described by an English Physician, John Langdon Down, in 1862.

Down's syndrome is a congenital condition caused by an extra copy of a chromosome in the 21st position in humans.

This is also referred to as trisomy 21, one of the major types of trisomies.

Humans usually have 46 chromosomes in every cell, with 23 inherited from each parent.

Due to an extra copy of chromosome 21, people with Down's syndrome have 47 chromosomes in their somatic cells.

This additional DNA causes the physical characteristics and developmental problems associated with the syndrome.

The term 'mongoloid' is usually described with Down's syndrome because of children with Down's syndrome share similar physical features.

What causes the inclusion of this extra copy of a chromosome(trisomy),

For a human to reproduce, the sex cells (sperm and egg) must undergo a division called meiosis ( reproductive division).

The division makes the cells haploid (contains only a set of chromosome ie. 23) in order to fuse with the co-sex cell (maybe an egg from the woman which is also haploid) to become diploid (normal 46 chromosomal number).

During the process of meiosis (division), there may be mistakes that occur in the second phase of the division (non-disjunction), in which a pair of chromosomes do not divide equally into two pairs (does not divide at all).

See photos below;

One pair contains a pair of chromosome and the other pair contains none. This one pair that contains a pair of the chromosome, when it fuses with an egg or sperm as in the case may be, it adds onto another chromosome form the sex cell, making it three (the fusion must occur for reproduction to take place).

See photos below;

This non-disjunction, when it occurs in chromosome number 21 is known as Down's syndrome(trisomy 21).

The children or infants with this abnormality are usually associated with cases of imbecility.

There are many causes why this non-disjunction takes place,

1. Reproduction from aged couples, in which the chromosomal content of the sex cells is not vibrant enough to divide, maybe in one of the partners.

2. Due to the ingestion of substances (chemicals, drugs), that can impair the division of the chromosomes.

3. Due to genetic factors (hereditary).

Down's syndrome is not known to be inherited or passed from parent to offspring, and children associated with this problem have many physical challenges such as stunted growth, low life span, and majorly mental disorder.

Thanks.

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