Gene Mutations Alcohol has a slightly different effect on Finns

Gene mutation provides increased impulsivity after drinking
The largest proportion of crime is committed in Finland under the influence of alcohol - although Finns no longer drink other residents of the European Union. Researchers at the University of Helsinki could now find an explanation for this phenomenon. According to this, a genetic change is apparently responsible for the impulsiveness of Finns after the consumption of alcohol.
Alcohol consumption in Finland below the EU average
According to the Finnish Ministry of Justice, 80 percent of all murders and 70 percent of all bodily injuries in Finland are committed by alcoholics. A circumstance that quickly suggests that Finns drink a lot - but, paradoxically, the opposite is the case. As statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) show, drinking the average consumption of 12.3 liters of pure alcohol per person is even slightly below the European average of just under 12.5 liters.

But how can the aggressive behavior of many Finns be explained after a few glasses of beer or wine? Scientists at the University of Helsinki seem to have found an answer. According to a gene mutation there is a predisposition to impulsivity, which usually slumbers - but comes to break through alcohol. According to the study published recently in the journal "Translational Psychiatry", this genetic change would amount to a good two percent of Finns, which translates into about 100,000 people.

Gene mutation also affects the carrier in the fasted state
As reported by the University of Helsinki, the mutation occurs in a serotonin receptor gene, which makes the carrier particularly susceptible to impulsive behavior when he is drunk. "The results also show that humans with this mutation are naturally more impulsive even in their fasted state and are more likely to struggle with self-control or mood swings," Tikkanen is quoted in the Helsinki University Communication.

Preventative measures to better control behavior
The effects of a gene on complex phenomena, therefore, is usually low. However, it had been possible to identify the effect of such a genetic mutation in the Finnish population, as historical isolation has led to a relatively homogeneous gene pool, Tikkanen continued. If the results can be substantiated by major clinical studies, various preventive measures could be taken, the university reports. The most important measure is, of course, the control of alcohol consumption. Other measures would be aimed at attempting to control behavior through cognitive-behavioral therapy or medication. (No)