Geneticists have found the cause of female happiness. Free Technical Library News

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Genetics have found the cause of female happiness

10.09.2012

Researchers from the University of South Florida, the US National Institutes of Health, Columbia University and the New York State Institute of Psychiatry have found that a low-profile form of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene in women is associated with increased feelings of happiness. Curiously, men did not find such a connection.

"I was surprised by the results, as a milder form of MAOA has been associated with some negative outcomes such as alcoholism, aggressiveness and antisocial behavior," said Henyang Chen, lead author of the study. "Some scientists even call it the 'warrior gene.' side of this gene: at least for women."

Although women are more prone to bad mood, anxiety and excitement, they are also more likely than men to feel happy. Chen says the discovery will help explain gender differences in perception and shed light on the link between specific genes and human happiness.

The researchers analyzed data from a representative sample of 345 people: 193 women and 152 men. Study participants' DNA was analyzed for MAOA gene variations, and their happiness was measured using a widely used and well-tested scale. After checking for factors ranging from age and education to income level, the researchers found that women with a mild form of the MAOA gene were significantly happier than the rest. At the same time, two copies of the gene increased the feeling of happiness. At the same time, for almost all men who had the "happiness gene", the results were the same as for the representatives of the "strong half" who did not have it.

Researchers believe this difference can be partly explained by low testosterone levels in women compared to men. Chen and his co-authors suggest that testosterone may reverse the positive effects of MAOA on men. The potential benefits of MAOA in boys may wane as testosterone rises as they grow older, Chen says, "Maybe men are happier before puberty because their testosterone levels are lower at that time."

At the same time, according to Chen, happiness is hardly determined by a single gene - rather, there is a set of genes that affects the individual level of happiness at every moment of our life experience. According to the scientist, now is just the right time for more genetic research related to happiness and well-being.

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