Scientists at the Karolinska Research Institute have recently discovered a link between a particular gene and the relationship of couples. Research results are published in PNAS. Research will help us understand the causes of problems such as social autism or obsession.
Hassa Walum, a graduate student in the Department of Epidemiology and Biological Statistics, said: 'Of course there are many reasons why someone encounters problems in relationships, but this is the time. We first connect the genetic variant to the way that couples get together. '
However, he stressed, the impact of the gene variant above is only relative, one can not use it to accurately predict how a person will behave in their future relationship.
Hasse Walum and his colleagues took advantage of the data of research on descendants and twins in Sweden with the participation of 550 twins and their lovers or spouses. The studied gene encodes one of the vasopressin receptors - a hormone found in the brains of most mammals. The team found that men with one or two copies of the variant of this gene - allen 334 - often behave differently in relationships than men who lack the gene variant.
The range of the effects of all 334 is statistically related to the sense of attachment of men to their lovers. Men with two copies of allele 334 tend to have a crisis of love or marriage twice as much as those who do not carry genetic variants. People also discovered a link between the gene variant of a man and the thoughts of a partner or their lover about the relationship between the two.
Hasse Walum said: 'Women taking men with one or two copies of allen 334, in general, are not satisfied with their relationship compared to women who take men who do not wear this allen.'
The gene was also tested in hamsters, in which it was found to be related to single-wife survival in males.
Hasse Walum concluded: 'In fact, the corresponding gene has proved its important role for similar actions in hamsters, making our findings more interesting. It also shows that previously studied brain mechanisms that we know are capable of increasing the close relationship between hamsters may also be related to humans. '
The team hopes that what is gained about vasopressin's impact on human relationships will one day help science gain insight into the causes of diseases that are characteristic of social relations issues such as autism.
Refer:
Hasse Walum, Lars Westberg, Susanne Henningsson, Jenae M. Neiderhiser, David Reiss, Wilmar Igl, Jody M. Ganiban, Erica L. Spotts, Nancy L. Pedersen, Elias Eriksson and Paul Lichtenstein.Genetic variation in the vasopressin receptor 1a gene (AVPR1A) associates with pair-bonding behavior in humans.PNAS, Early Edition, 2-5 September 2008