Mineral metabolism and behavior: Abnormalities of calcium homeostasis

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Abstract
Abnormalities of calcium homeostasis are often associated with a variety of behavioral disorders such as severe neuroses and psychoses which are frequently accompanied by anxious, depressed and delusional behavior. In our clinical studies of these abnormalities it is evident that hypocalcemia can be corrected to normocalcemia by dietary calcium supplements and vitamin D therapy. This result implies that in those regions where there are small amounts of calcium in the diet and/or limited sunlight for vitamin D synthesis the possibility of hypocalcemia and associated behavioral disorders is high. Our studies have centered on the Eskimo as an excellent example of this phenomenon. We are asking two kinds of questions: What are the biological, psychological, and socio‐cultural adaptations that take place in response to these abnormalities of calcium homeostasis; and what do these adaptations have to do with natural selection? In order to answer these questions in our investigation of calcium homeostasis, we are developing a general model capable of showing its modes of interaction among the biological, psychological, and sociocultural variables. This model will emphasize the limitations of biological adaptations in this case and demonstrate the significance of psychological and socio‐cultural adaptations in shifting the course of natural selection.

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