First Happiness Genes Found

Human genome is one of the most deeply studied subjects. For years, scientists have been trying to identify genes that are responsible for controlling various moods and their intensity in humans. Recently, researchers have isolated certain genes that are linked to happiness. This discovery can be the answer to how various humans experience happiness and how the level of happiness is regulated.

This discovery was done in a large scale study carried out in Amsterdam by professors Meike Bartels and Philipp Koellinger in over 298,000 people and was later published in the journal Nature Genetics. The study was done in collaboration with the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium.

The Happy Genes

Previous studies done by obtaining data of twins and families from the Netherlands Twin Register and other sources indicate that happiness depends, to a large extent, on the genetic makeup of an individual. These studies were, however, limited by their sample size.

This study was the first and the largest of its kind and included 181 scientists from 145 institutes, including medical centers in Rotterdam, Groningen, Leiden and Utrecht, and the universities of Rotterdam and Groningen.

The study subjects were assessed for three phenotypes- subjective well-being, depressive symptoms and neuroticism. The studied resulted in isolation of three variants of the genes that explain why level of depression varies among different people. The location of these genes was also deemed important. Eleven regions on the human genome were found to be associated with different degrees of neuroticism. Three variants for subjective well-being and two for depressive symptoms were identified.

It was discovered that the happiness genes are mainly expressed in the central nervous system, the adrenal glands and the pancreas. This study shows that happiness and depression overlap to a great extent.

The Future Prospects

This study has paved way for further research on the individual difference in happiness levels and the role of these genes in controlling the degree of happiness. It has proved to be a breakthrough for finding genes that are responsible for monitoring various moods in humans and is expected to prompt further research about different moods.

This study has opened doors for research on one of the most prevalent diseases of modern times-depression- to find out about genes that regulate depression. Policy makers have now started focusing on individual wellbeing since happiness and wellbeing play a key role in the physical and mental health of a person.

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According to professor Meike Bartels, this study has proven to be a groundbreaking one as it has helped determine the genetics of happiness by discovering three variants of the happiness genes. But still, there are a lot more variants to be discovered and this study was just the stepping stone.

Finding the location of these variants will play a key role in understanding the individual differences between people. It will also help determine why different people experience different level of happiness. It will help unravel the Nature’s secrets and the interaction between nature and the man’s environment and the impact of this interaction on the happiness level.