Could A Dopamine Gene Be the Answer to a Longer Life?

[Dizfriz]

Interesting article from Time Magazine:


Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/1...#ixzz2Hm27OIOD


Dizfriz

[Amtram]

I'd be interested to see if the variant existed in people with shorter lifespans who didn't interact with their environment. It's probably a piece of something bigger. . . but if nothing else, it's a kick in the pants to get up and get moving!

[ana futura]

One of the things I really dislike about meds is how lazy they make me. Normally I get agitated very easily if I have to sit still (assuming there is not a computer in front of me) and this leads to a lot of moving around and pacing.

I feel so much fitter and energetic off of them. I don't have to try to be active, I just am. On meds I have to force myself to move.

[meadd823]

Similar yin-yang effects have been seen with genes linked with depression that seem to provide an advantage in some environments, as well as genes linked with autism that appear to be correlate with mathematical and engineering talent. Which argues against selecting traits based purely on their most obvious benefits: most traits, and the genes that are behind them, seem to come in different flavors that confer both benefits and risks.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/1...#ixzz2HqsmTvXW

Genetic traits are neither good or bad but can have an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the environment - Now where have I heard that before - See I told you all one day science would catch up - They are getting warmer

[Amtram]

meadd, it's always been that way. It's just the people who don't read up on it who think that evolution or genetics select qualitatively. There's no judgment involved at all. Nothing in genetics has a subjective value, only whether a trait influences survival or reproduction.