Why are some people mentally handicapped? Is the fact that we have such advanced brains a contributing factor?

Question

Also, going on that logic, do animals suffer from mental handicaps? I do not wish to antagonise anybody who knows anyone with special needs, i was just wondering

Answer 1

sometimes it is the dna chromosomes which are faulty, maybe they have a piece missing or conflicting information when forming in the womb. however this can cause very serious problems such as whole syndromes are related to this, and if there is faulty DNA like this then it can also be passed down through generations. boys have an X and Y chromosome, girls have two X's and a lot of faults are carried along the X (such as Fragile X syndrome which is learning disabilities), so if a boy inherits a faulty X gene he will have special needs, if a girl has one, she will most probably be ok because she has another X however she would pass the fault on to her future children. i have no idea what the Y does and this explanation only covers some reasons of causes of special needs and sadly there are many which dont yet have enough research to be able to explain :o(

Answer 2

Presumably it's problems when the brain is developing in the womb that cause birth defects like mental handicaps. Accidents, such as severe head trauma in a car accident or such like could cause similar problems as could severe fitting from epilepsy (though that may also be derived from a birth defect).
And in answer to your other question, yes animals can suffer from mental handicaps, my dog is brain damaged and was born that way, though she manages to function well enough that she has an adaquate quality of life.

Answer 3

A mental deficiency is usually caused before or during birth. because we are, after all, human. An embryo is an organic thing growing in another organic thing ( the womb) which in turn is in another organic being ( the female). With so many factors it is only logical that something can go wrong, the human body, like any other mammal's is not an infallible reproduction machine. Apart from mental deficiency there are many other deficiencies that occur before or during birth ( like physical ones).

Animals have a much smaller brain than humans and operate mainly( or only) on instinct so any deficiency in the brain would hardly be noticable but I believe they do occur.

Answer 4

Besides biological factors there are illness like tetanus which can make a young person mentally handicapped.

Answer 5

Its the luck of the draw, So thy say.