An unusually gripping genetics paper from Biological Psychiatry: Pagnamenta et al.The authors discuss a family where two out of the three children were diagnosed with autism. In 2009, they detected a previously unknown copy number variant mutation in the two affected brothers: a 594 kb deletion knocking out two genes, called DOCK4 and IMMP2L.Yet this mutation was also carried by their non-autisti
16 Vote(s)
September 17, 2010
A Tale of Two Genes
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August 20, 2010
Schizophrenia, Genes and Environment
Schizophrenia is generally thought of as the "most genetic" of all psychiatric disorders and in the past 10 years there have been heroic efforts to find the genes responsible for it, with not much success so far.A new study reminds us that there's more to it than genes alone: Social Risk or Genetic Liability for Psychosis? The authors decided to look at adopted children, because this is one of th
20 Vote(s)
20 Vote(s)
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June 30, 2010
June 16, 2010
Mutations on three genes could predispose people to suicidal behaviour
Three genes that have barely been studied to date have now provided fresh knowledge about patients with suicidal backgrounds. Scientists found that several mutations are involved. This finding could help to develop future genetic tests to identify predisposition to suicide, without ignoring the importance of social and cultural factors.
11 Vote(s)
11 Vote(s)
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June 15, 2010
Oh Crap. More Autism Genes.
There's been much excitement about the latest big genetic study into autism, published in Nature : the grandly titled Autism Genome Project, brought to you by a crack team of no fewer than 177 researchers.For a good summary of the research take a look here, and for a longer account here. In a nutshell, the authors examined DNA from almost 1000 people with an autism spectrum disorder. They were lo
17 Vote(s)
17 Vote(s)
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June 10, 2010
Genes Influence Development Of Gambling Disorders In Men And Women Suggests New Study
From studying Australian twins, new research says that genetic factors appear to influence the development of gambling disorders in both men and women. These were the findings of Dr Wendy S...
6 Vote(s)
6 Vote(s)
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Biologists isolate genes that regulate the sleep-feeding conflict: New insights into how brain chooses between critical survival behaviors
A team of biologists has isolated genes that regulate the sleep-feeding conflict. The study offers new insights into how the brain chooses between behaviors that are critical for survival.
6 Vote(s)
6 Vote(s)
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May 26, 2010
Canine aggression and genetic control
The control of different behaviors is a complex process that is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. A new study throws light on interesting connections between canine aggression and genes that are involved in neurotransmission in the brain.
11 Vote(s)
11 Vote(s)
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February 22, 2010
The Good Jeans Hypothesis
Just about every article I read on women’s preferences for sexual dimorphism in men points out that the data are consistent with the good genes hypothesis. There are a couple of technical variations of this hypothesis, but they all are based on the reasonably well-established connection between testosterone and impeded immune system functioning. The idea [...]... Johnston, V. (2001)
10 Vote(s)
10 Vote(s)
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December 29, 2009
There may be a ‘party’ in your genes
Genetics play a pivotal role in shaping how individual's identify with political parties , according to new research.
10 Vote(s)
10 Vote(s)
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