Handling Stress And Other Hereditary Factors

Another inherited trait which appears to be of significance in handling stress is the ability to produce a substance called neuropeptide Y (NPY). This substance, secreted by the brain, helps us to calm down after stressful events. Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that some people inherit genes which mean they only produce low levels of NPY. 

This can make these people more likely to also suffer from depression in response to stressors.

Differences in brain response

Modern technology enables researchers like Professor Guillen, of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior in Nijmwegen, in the Netherlands, to monitor the response of key areas of the brain when people are subjected to stress. He has studied activity in an area of the brain called the amygdala, which is associated with processing emotions. It has been found that there is a gene which determines how stressed out an individual becomes. Prof. Guillen said:

'This individual genetic difference only surfaces when people are subjected to stress. This is the first time a genetic variation has been found that shows a different response to emotional stimuli only when individuals are stressed.'

He is also investigating whether this gene affects how likely people are to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after a traumatic event, as this response can be very variable from one individual to the next.

Early experiences are influential in stress response

If mouse research translates into the same effects in humans, it could highlight how important it is to protect children from stressful challenges early in life. Laboratory mice were subjected to social stress when they were young, by being constantly moved between cages. When given tests as adults, it was found that the female mice exhibited anxiety, but the males did not. But both sexes passed on anxiety behaviors to their offspring. 

Is it all down to genes then?

No. While genetics clearly have a big impact, as children we are very influenced by our parents’ behavior as well as the social norms of the community around us. So if our parents easily become stressed and handle challenges badly, we will often develop in the same way and tend to copy their behavior.  But the good news is that because that is a learned behavior, we can learn how to control it and modify our response to stress.

Like a lot of good ideas, that’s probably easier said than done!