Fecundity may be due to genes

Researchers identify the genetic cause of the sickness

03/18/2014

Possession and forgetfulness can have genetic causes. Scientists at the University of Bonn discovered a connection between the everyday cognitive impairments and the gene "DRD2". Certain variants of the gene would lead to the affected people being more easily distracted and experiencing much more frequently moments that are due to lack of attention, the University of Bonn reports in a recent press release.

According to the current findings of the psychologists in Bonn, everyday affairs such as laying the house key or forgetting names can sometimes be traced back to a genetic cause. "Such short-term dropouts are common, but in some people, they are particularly common," said Professor. Martin Reuter of the Department of Differential and Biological Psychology of the University of Bonn. Those affected often have a special genetic variant, which is to be assessed as the cause of the short-term attention deficits and feces, reports the University of Bonn.

DRD2 the cause of being sick
The statements of the first author of the current study, Dr. med. According to Sebastian Markett, the "familial accumulation of susceptibility to errors suggests (that) that there are genetic influences on these dropouts." Moreover, some time ago in the laboratory evidence was found that the so-called "dopamine D2 receptor gene" (DRD2 ) is involved in forgetfulness, the University of Bonn continues to report. DRD2 plays a crucial role in signal transmission to the frontal lobes. These structures are "comparable to a conductor who coordinates the brain as an orchestra". Markett and added that the DRD2 gene thereby forms the baton, "because it is involved in the dopamine binding in the brain." If the baton in between the wrong tempo before, the whole orchestra mix up. The result is short-term concentration problems and fecundities.

Difference in only one base of the gene
According to their own statements, the scientists have tested a total of 500 women and men "by taking a saliva sample from them and then analyzing it by molecular biology." Although every human being carries the DRD2 gene, this could exist in two variants, "which only exist in distinguish a single base in the genetic code. "For example, one variant has cytosine in one place via the nucleobase, while the other variant has thymine instead. The evaluation of the laboratory tests has shown that around a quarter of the subjects have exclusively the DRD2 gene with the nucleobase cytosine, while three-quarters have a genotype with at least one thymine base. In the subsequent investigations, the researchers examined whether the different expression of the gene also had an impact on everyday behavior.

Effects of the DRD2 gene on memory and attention
In a questionnaire, subjects were asked to state "how often they get certain types of follies." They also asked how easily subjects can be distracted from their actual tasks and how long they can concentrate. "The results show that such functions as attention and memory are less pronounced in the thymine gene variant than in the cytosine type," reports the University of Bonn. "The connection is clear: such dropouts can be partially attached to this gene variant," said first author Dr. Markett added: "This result fits very well with the results of other studies."

Genes no justification for being sick
However, the researchers do not see any justification for the latter in the genetic cause of the filthiness. Because "something can be done against forgetfulness: you can write notices or make more effort not to keep the front door key somewhere, but to a certain place," Dr. Markett. Anyone who knows their own weaknesses, can adapt strategies for the different situations in order to cope better with his feelings of helplessness and lack of concentration. (Fp)