I was reading a short article about how athletes are getting taller and heavier. One of the suggestions given for this is because athletes usually end up marrying other athletes. This got me thinking, since people usually marry those who have similar interests, individuals who have specialized skills, such as athleticism and art, will ultimately breed improved athletes or artists.
This all got me thinking about the flip side of things. What about criminals? Many criminals seek out other criminals - it makes sense. So what happens when they procreate? Do they make better criminals? As I have written in previous posts, criminals have a gene that makes them apt to be deviant. Therefore, my assumption is that the offsprings of criminals wouldn’t actually be better criminals but just a higher chance of them engaging in deviant behavior.
Of course, when we discuss athletes becoming bigger and better, it’s a physical component related to genes rather than just behavior. The perception may be that criminals also get bigger and better but it may be that environment makes them that way. Environmental influences from parents may make better athletes but they must also have the physical capacity to achieve.
Let’s talk about it - what do you think?
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August 17th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Society | Comments (0)
Scientists have found a gene that may make it more probably that your teen will become a gang member, according to a recent article on ABCNew.com. This gene scientists are calling, MAOA, increase the chances of a teen joining a gang of engage in gang activity as well as use weapons in the gang. The mutation of the gangster gene is found in lower levels of the monoamine oxidase A protein.
Many teens who decide to join a gang do so because they are looking for something that their home life is not giving them. This includes feeling protected and accepted, which leads to feeling powerful. The biological gene may explain why some teens don’t join a gang if when looking for those qualities, they may not carry the gene that motivates them to engage in gang activity.
Another thing to consider is that many times, generations of family members join gangs. This could partly be due to environmental reasons, such as if their father/mother is part of gang and romanticizes the experience, or the home life is unstable and neglectful. With the biological influence, it just propels them even further into wanting to join a gang.
My last thought on this is how this gene is really affecting teens beyond gang activity. Perhaps this gene not only increases the chances of a teen joining a gang, but also engage in general criminal activity. For instance, what about inmates who were not part of gang, do they also possess this gene? It may be interesting to look at this aspect because it could be possible that the gene really predisposes teens to activities that gang members engage in, instead of just influencing a teen’s decision to join a gang.
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July 7th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Society | Comments (0)
Do we act the way we do because of genetics or is it the environment that shaped our behaviors? Out of all the topics of genetics I am interested in, this is one of the most fascinating to me. At first thought, you may think that human behavior is a direct result of what happens to you in the past and in the present. However, have you ever found yourself saying, “Gosh, that’s something my mother would say or do!” You have to wonder if you replicate the behaviors of your parents or grandparents, then genetics must play some part, or do they?
The great debate of nature versus nurture carries on for many things, and that includes human behavior and genetics. If you behave as your parents did, is it because you inherited those behaviors or because they raised you and you just adopted them?
Researchers have been studying human behavior and genetics but it seems to be a difficult endeavor since so many genes are responsible for how someone acts. The motivation to continue human behavior is also not as strong as studying genes that have health implications such those are much more useful to treat diseases and disorders.
So what do you think? Do you think human behavior is inherited or is it a person’s upbringing or environment?
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June 18th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Society | Comments (0)
A recent article, Europe Calls for Earlier Genetic Tests on Children, discusses that Europe guidelines are recommending that children receive genetic DNA testing as soon as possible if there is a family history for a disorder or disease. The European Society of Human Genetics strongly urges that children receive the genetic DNA testing if the possible inherited disease or disorder is treatable or preventable.
One of the thoughts brought up in the article is if it is necessary to test children if a family inherited disease doesn’t usually have an onset until adulthood such as breast cancer. Of course, it would be useful to know if someone is predisposed to suffering from breast cancer but it might not be useful to know at such an early age.
The focus on genetic DNA testing in Europe is a positive step in the future of genetic testing overall. While the United States offers genetic testing, there isn’t a nationwide recommendation for it. It is usually offered on an individual basis for people who are concerned about their children or themselves. Many people may not even think about getting genetic DNA testing unless a professional brings it up. With a nationwide recommendation such as the one in Europe, many more Americans may take advantage of this valuable testing tool for disease and disorders.
Testing children early for adult onset diseases may help them take steps as soon as possible to prevent the disease. It also ensures that the parents have done everything in their power to give their children the health information they need to combat medical issues. Another positive of testing children for the genetic marker of an adult onset disease is that young adults may not be concerned about it and by the time they are, they may already be suffering from it.
If you were in Europe, would you be in favor of this recommendation and follow it? Of course, it’s still your choice if you want to have your children tested but with this reminder about the usefulness of the test and preventing health issues, would you be able to turn your head and decline it?
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June 8th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in DNA Testing, Genetics and Health, Genetics and Society | Comments (0)
If you have a teenager, you may wonder when he/she will start puberty since it’s one of the biggest transitions a person will go through in his/her lifetime. While scientists previously thought the onset of menses had a lot to do with body fat, research has recently found that genes play a bigger part than originally thought.
In a recent article, Genes Control Onset of Puberty, the author reports that molecular geneticist Scott Wilson from the University of Western Australia has found that genes contribute to when puberty begins. The study these findings came from looked at women from different cultures. The researchers grouped the women according to when they started their periods. Each woman had a personal DNA test using ‘gene chips’ to look at gene coding to find similarities. Women in the same age group for the onset of menses had similar gene coding, indicating that genes may play a role.
At this point, there isn’t any genetic testing to find out when a teen will actually start puberty. Therefore, you may wonder what is the point of researching the onset of puberty because there’s no benefit to knowing exactly when it will occur since everyone will go through it at some point in his or her teenage years. However, understanding the genes that play a role in puberty may also help scientists understand reproductively issues since this is when much of reproductive development occurs.
Pinpointing where there may be a gene mutation can help scientists create medications or procedures that can help people who want to conceive and have a baby. Genetic advancements sometimes have to start with smaller discoveries before it becomes a major health benefit breakthrough. With future research in this area, we all may start to see many more ways people can recover from reproductive disease and/or make their dreams come true in having children.
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June 5th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Society | Comments (0)
In an article, Good Genes: Late Motherhood Boosts Family Lifespan, research has found that women who give birth to a child in their 40s or 50s live longer than women who either don’t have children or have children earlier in life. Furthermore, these older mothers’ brothers also seem to live longer. The study went on to examine these brother’s wives but found that they didn’t experience the lengthened lifespan indicating that there may be genetic traits rather than environmental factors.
Genes for Longevity
There are many reasons why these mothers and their brothers seem to live longer. It’s a possibility that they have the longevity gene already and the factor of them becoming mothers later in life doesn’t really have an effect. This means that it’s just a coincidence. It would also explain why the brothers but not their wives also reap the benefits of living longer.
Healthy Lifestyle Increases Longevity
Another hypothesis is that a women who waits until their 40s or 50s to have a child (without any fertility issues) probably did so to work on their career. This could also mean that these women not only take care of themselves professionally but personally by living a healthier lifestyle. This healthy lifestyle may be what helps their longevity.
Combination of Genes and Healthy Living
Just as with the great debate of nature vs. nurture, these findings may be due to both genetic traits and healthy living. Many women who take care of themselves professionally and/or personally do so because they either are following their parent’s guidance or are trying to do better than their parents did. The same goes for these women’s brothers coming from the same family. Furthermore, genes play a role in that they may not have mutations for life threatening diseases such as heart disease. With both of these factors working together, it may explain the longer lifespan not the actual act of becoming a mother later in life.
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May 14th, 2009 by Marcelina Hardy | Posted in Genetics and Society | Comments (1)
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