How Genetics Affect Human Development

The environment does not influence human development more than Genes. Human development begins at conception in the womb and continues through life heavily depending on the genetic make-up passed down through the mother and father. Many studies have been done to determine how big of an impact genes have on human development, and they found astonishing results. Genetics not only influence the way one develops physical characteristics, but they also influence the development of certain traits and disorders. Genetics start influencing human development right at the moment of conception. “At conception, the genes from the father contained in a sperm and those from the mother contained in the ovum combine to create a unique genetic blueprint …show more content…
Genetic disorders, passed down from the parents' genes, influence the way a child develops both physically and mentally. Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic disorders affecting about one in every eight-hundred babies born in the United States, and causing delays in the way a child develops, both mentally and physically (“Down Syndrome”). Down syndrome is caused by a child receiving an extra chromosome 21 from their parents (for a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46). “It's this extra genetic material that causes the development of intellectual disability, cognitive delays, a characteristic facial appearance, and weak muscle tone associated with Down syndrome” (“Down Syndrome”). Down syndrome is only one of over six thousand genetic disorders that influence physical and cognitive development, and that can be passed down through generations (“Genetic Disorders: Know Your Genes”). Genetics also determine one’s susceptibility to developing many diseases as well. For example, “Twin studies show that when one twin in an identical pair suffers from schizophrenia, then the chance that the other twin will be schizophrenic is about one in two; it is only one in six for fraternal twins. This gap is evidence for the existence of a genetic tendency toward schizophrenia” (“Twin Studies”). The development of many other diseases and disorders like Depression, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and various others, also have a genetic predisposition (“Genetic Disorders: Know Your