Studies Show Correlation Between Infidelity and Genes

Marital infidelity is an issue we are all familiar with and often it is just sees as a poor life decision. In recent studies, researchers have found that some people are more inclined to cheat than others due to mutations in certain receptor genes. It has long been believed that men cheat because they can increase their chances of having more offspring. While this evolution theory may hold some relevance, more evidence seems to point to variations of the vasopressin receptor gene.

Vasopressin and oxytocin are both hormones that play a role in sexual bonding and attraction. When a study was carried out recently with 7,400 Finnish twins and their siblings surprising results were found. Out of the people in the study who had cheated, links between promiscuous behavior and vasopressin were only found in women. Dr. Zietsch, the psychologist who was in charge of the study, stated that there are many circumstances that contribute to infidelity but about 40% could be linked back to genetics. In a different study, relations between oxytocin receptor genes and marial infidelity were found in women and men had links between vasopressin receptor genes and marital discord.

Studies have not only been done on humans, but also animals to help prove this theory. For example, the difference between the sexual behavior in montane voles and prairie voles is due to where the vasopressin receptor genes are located in their brains. The receptors for prairie voles are located in proximity to the brain's reward center causing them to remain in monogamous relationship. Where as in montane voles the receptors are found in the region associated with anxiety and fear causing no attachment to be formed to their partners. Experiments showed that it was possible to make a montane  male vole act monogamously by increasing the number of vasopressin receptors in the brain's reward center. The same goes for female voles except by increasing oxytocin receptors instead of vasopressin.

Although, the studies prove that infidelity may be caused due to certain hormones it is still a choice. The article even states, "Correlation is not the same as causation; there are undoubtedly many unmeasured factors that contribute to infidelity." From this it can be concluded that some people are more wired to cheat, but this does not mean they can use it as an excuse.

Oxytocin Used to Help Patients Overcome Fear

A team of researchers working under the guidance of the University of Bonn Hospital in a recent study showed that the bonding hormone oxytocin inhibits the fear center in the brain and allows fear stimuli to subside more easily. The hope is that this research will provide the basis for future treatment of anxiety disorders.

Significant fear can become entrenched in a person’s brain with individuals involved in car accidents providing a key example. Individuals involved in car accidents often find it very difficult to handle street traffic after their accident due to significant anxiety. Scientists refer to this as conditioning where certain images or noises, such as screeching tires, are associated in the brain with pain or fear.

Overtime the original contents of the fearful memory are not erased; however, positive experiences overtake the original memory through the process of extinction. Nonetheless, if encountered with a dangerous situation similar to the original fear, the original fear comes back.

Dr. René Hurlemann from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Bonn Hospital stated, “Oxytocin actually reinforces extinction: Under its influence, the expectation of recurrent fear subsequently abates to a greater extent than without this messenger.”

Specifically the team of researchers showed various images to 62 male patients. For 70 percent of the images the research subjects received a very brief electrical shock to their hand via electrodes. When the images, where the electrical shock was experienced, were viewed again anxiety was noted in the tests subject’s brains. For the second portion of the study half of the test subjects received oxytocin via a nasal spray while the other half received a placebo.

After receiving either the oxytocin or the placebo the patients were shown the same images as before; however, this time there were no electrical shocks experienced. In those patients who received the oxytocin the amygdala, fear center in the brain, was far less active than in the control group who received the placebo. In those patients that received the placebo the fear-inhibiting regions were more stimulated. The researchers hope that with the aid of oxytocin anxiety patients can be helped more quickly and that a relapses can be prevented more easily.

This article was very interesting because anxiety is something that is often overlooked and forgotten about. It’s clear that something that happens every day, such as car accidents, can have a long lasting effect on an individual even after the physical injuries have subsided. I am curious to see the results of further clinical trials that have larger sample sizes and potentially with patients with severe anxiety disorders to see how well oxytocin alleviates the anxiety in these patients.  

Main article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141113110014.htm

Secondary article: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-11-oxytocin.html

The role of genetics in our social interactions and environment

Nature vs. Nurture has been constantly applied to human interactions for decades. This article provides adequate detail about just how genetics has been apart of this process. The context of this work touches on issues such as how studies of the 5-HTT mutations can affect the person's emotions, more specifically how they can regulate them. Another main concern would be how our levels of oxytocin are controlled by inheritable genes or are they? There are millions of outcomes inside the human body that result from the intermixing of our parents genes. This article takes that idea a step further to see how the outside world can too make an influence on our genotypes and phenotypes. I find it very interesting that there are so many different factors that can affect how a person acts and matures to be. 

Source:  http://fx5ly8ju5l.search.serialssolutions.com

Another useful article that can be used to further explore this side of genetics can be found : http://www.sciencedaily.com

Is Empathy in our Genes

A Health.com article among other articles found discusses whether our emotional reactions to others is the result of coding in our genes. A new study suggests that traits such as being open, caring and trusting are linked so closely with this genes, that a trained individual monitoring human interactions could determine whether there was variation in said gene. Previous studies have also linked genes to behaviors such as bonding empathy and anxiety. This gene acts as a docking station for the chemical oxytocin found in the brain. People with two "G" variants of this receptor tend to have better social skills and higher self esteem while those with at least one "A" variant have a more difficult time with stress and have worse mental health.

It is also important to recognize that these oxytocin receptors are not the only determining factor of social behavior. Life experiences and surroundings are known to effect the oxytocin receptors, thus affecting an individuals social behavior. Having the "A" variant does not automatically result in poor social skills, but it is interesting to see thehigh correlation between the two. 

A possible genetic component linked to Niceness

Niceness is referred to how people treat others and how they react to the world around them. Recently psychologists at the University of Buffalo and the University of California claim to have found genes that influence hormones which contribute to niceness or generosity. This is not to say they have found a niceness gene, but they have found a link between certain hormones and the way people act. These hormones known as oxytocin and vasopressin are said to show greater socialibilty and a greater maternal behavior. The gene found is said to influence on if people view the world as bad or good.

A survey was done in order to further research this finding, where they looked at results of peoples attitude towards civic duty, other people, the world, and charitable activities. They then took saliva from 711 for DNA analysis. What this showed was people who find the world threatening were less likely to help people, unless they had the gene that is associated with niceness.

Niceness, Generosity May Have a Genetic Component

US Researchers have suggested that there is a possibility that genes can influence some of the hormones which contribute to a person's niceness and generosity. Former studies have already show a link between the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin to a person's display of niceness or "prosocial behavior". Oxytocin is the hormone which promotes maternal behavior and when the subjects in that study were exposed to the hormone they also showed greater sociability. Psychologists from the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Buffalo say that niceness could also be tied into genes to the extent that the genes' influence could help determine the person's perception of the world as a good place with good people or a bad place with bad people. However, they have not found the specific gene that controls niceness, but one of the genes that makes a contribution since several genes control the function of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors. The most recent study also took a sample of saliva from 711 of those surveyed to find the variants of the oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes they encompassed. The results correlated to the fact that people who found the world threatening were not likely to help others expect for those who has versions of receptor genes who could be associated with niceness.

Niceness in your genes

Science Daily reports of Michel Poulin who is the principle author of the study, "The Neurogenics of Niceness". In this study, Poulin identified two harmones, oxytocin and vasopressin, that are linked to how nice somone is. These hormones have been linked to how people treat one another and can actually make someone nicer.

Poulin conducted a study to see of the pressence of these hormone receptors prevoke our association with pro-social behavior such as giving to charity, or giving blood. The hormones work by binding to our cells from receptors of different forms and several genes are responsible for the control of the function of these receptors.

The study Poulin established had people take online surveys about their views on different topics such as civic duty, paying taxes, giving to charity, and if people are more good than bad. 711 of those surveyed supplied a DNA sample to show what type of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors they had. The study found that those who had a more threatening view of the world were less likely to help others unless they had the "nicer" version of these gene receptors. Poulin does not claim to have found the niceness gene, but he does believe he has found a contributor. He then adds, " What I find so interesting is the fact that it only makes a contribution in the presence of certain feelings people have about the world around them."