Title |
The MAOA gene predicts happiness in women
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Published in |
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, August 2012
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DOI | 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.07.018 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Henian Chen, Daniel S. Pine, Monique Ernst, Elena Gorodetsky, Stephanie Kasen, Kathy Gordon, David Goldman, Patricia Cohen |
Abstract |
Psychologists, quality of life and well-being researchers have grown increasingly interested in understanding the factors that are associated with human happiness. Although twin studies estimate that genetic factors account for 35-50% of the variance in human happiness, knowledge of specific genes is limited. However, recent advances in molecular genetics can now provide a window into neurobiological markers of human happiness. This investigation examines association between happiness and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) genotype. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of a population-based cohort, followed for three decades. In women, low expression of MAOA (MAOA-L) was related significantly to greater happiness (0.261 SD increase with one L-allele, 0.522 SD with two L-alleles, P=0.002) after adjusting for the potential effects of age, education, household income, marital status, employment status, mental disorder, physical health, relationship quality, religiosity, abuse history, recent negative life events and self-esteem use in linear regression models. In contrast, no such association was found in men. This new finding may help explain the gender difference on happiness and provide a link between MAOA and human happiness. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United States | 4 | 24% |
Finland | 1 | 6% |
Mexico | 1 | 6% |
France | 1 | 6% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 6% |
Switzerland | 1 | 6% |
Unknown | 8 | 47% |
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Members of the public | 15 | 88% |
Scientists | 2 | 12% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
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Uruguay | 1 | <1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | <1% |
Canada | 1 | <1% |
United States | 1 | <1% |
Luxembourg | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 113 | 96% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Bachelor | 28 | 24% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 17 | 14% |
Student > Master | 16 | 14% |
Researcher | 13 | 11% |
Student > Postgraduate | 9 | 8% |
Other | 18 | 15% |
Unknown | 17 | 14% |
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Psychology | 23 | 19% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 18 | 15% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 13 | 11% |
Social Sciences | 11 | 9% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 11 | 9% |
Other | 21 | 18% |
Unknown | 21 | 18% |