genes

Depression: It’s Not Just in Your Head, It’s Also in Your Genes

Ninety-seven healthy girls, ages 10 to 14, had saliva DNA samples taken. About half of them had moms with histories of depression, and about half had moms who did not. None of the girls had histories of depression. (1)The girls whose moms had suffered depression had significant reductions in the length of their telomeres. We [...]

Women who smoke while pregnant could alter their children’s genes

The largest study of its kind has shown that smoking during pregnancy could cause epigenetic changes in the fetus, resulting in birth defects and health problems later in life. Christina Markunas of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and her colleagues have found that newborn children of mothers who smoked while pregnant are more [...]

Human friendships based on genetic similarities

The tendency of people to forge friendships with people of a similar appearance has been noted since the time of Plato. But now there is research suggesting that, to a striking degree, we tend to pick friends who are genetically similar to us in ways that go beyond superficial features. For example, you and your [...]

Genetics may be Key to a Nation’s Level of Happiness

Countries are gradually giving up the goal of high GDP and trying to find a better measure of human well-being. Science will help us to do that. I reckon that over the next few decades we will see biomarker measures come to be used in a systematic way, and genetic markers are in that spirit." [...]

About half of kids’ learning ability is in their DNA, study says

You may think you're better at reading than you are at math (or vice versa#, but new research suggests you're probably equally good #or bad) at both. The reason: The genes that determine a person's ability to tackle one subject influence their aptitude at the other, accounting for about half of a person's overall ability. [...]

By |2014-07-20T16:24:19+10:00July 20th, 2014|Categories: Science & Research|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments

Grandma’s Experiences Leave Epigenetic Mark on Your Genes

Your ancestors' lousy childhoods or excellent adventures might change your personality, bequeathing anxiety or resilience by altering the epigenetic expressions of genes in the brain. - Dan Hurley via Grandma's Experiences Leave Epigenetic Mark on Your Genes | DiscoverMagazine.com.

The gene machine

Scientists have discovered that the human body contains more than 25,000 genes, but what they do remains mostly a mystery. "We don't know the function of the vast majority of genes," says Nevan Krogan, PhD, director of the UC San Francisco branch of the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences. via The gene machine.

By |2013-11-25T01:04:40+11:00November 25th, 2013|Categories: Science & Research|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments

Different types of happiness alter gene expression

A person’s sense of happiness may affect the way his or her genes are expressed, Medical News Today reported. Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) categorized 80 healthy adults based on whether they experienced a greater sense of eudaimonic well-being or hedonic well-being. Eudaimonic well-being is associated with having “a deep sense [...]

Exercise can alter your DNA, study claims

Although inherited DNA genes cannot be changed, the way that genes express themselves can be altered by individual actions, it is said. A work out can positively affect the way cells interact with fat stored in the body, a new study published in the journal PLOS Genetics found. The genes have attached 'methyl groups' which [...]

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