Showing posts with label ADA2b gene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ADA2b gene. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Some people maybe programmed to focus on the negative

A study conducted by a researcher from University of British Columbia has connected a gene variant to how some people may see the world around them in a negative manner. It is aid that this is the first study of its kind that has realized a connection between a genetic variation and how that can effect how people perceive the people and the world around them. In a previous study it showed how a previously known gene can cause people to experience negative moments and situations in a more vivid manner when compared to happy moments and occasions. The article and the researcher compared it to people seeing life through a pair of genetic colored glasses accompanied by biological variation at a genetic variation level which causes differences in how people interpret life and perception.

The gene in question was ADA2b deletion variant which influences hormones and neurotransmitter norepinephrine. This gene allows people to perceive emotions in real time and through emotional memories. The study used 200 participants and showed them positive, negative, and neutral words in a rapid succession. The participants that had the ADA2b gene saw more negative words compared to the happy and neural words. Where as both groups, those that had the ADA2b gene and one that don't have the gene, saw more positive words then neural words. It is said that those who have the ADA2b gene are more likely to see and pick out angry faces in a crowd of people and are able to see or notice hazardous situation such as, a spot where someone could fall, or a lose rock or object that could potentially harm someone. The researcher conducted this study to show how the combination of genetics with other factors can have an affect on how individuals differ in emotional perception and human subjectivity.

I found this article to be interesting because I didn't realize that people could be born to focus on the negative parts of life in a more intense manner. I know people have differences in opinions, but I didn't realize that the opinion could be different because the person was born to see it that way.