A number of interesting studies published in recent years disprove the idea of genetic determinism, which states that each of us is the enslaved slave of our genetic code and discover that the environment can change the expression of genes in the brain.
When I was in the army, a soldier who was Polish by origin served with me. It was hard not to notice this, because he used to annoy everyone around him with blunt and inconsiderate comments. When he was told about his behavior, he simply explained, "Well, it's not my fault. I have Polish genes, and that's how it is!” I'm sure many of us know similar people. We all know this well-worn argument - and some even agree with it. Man is not responsible for his actions, because his genes dictate how he will react and how he will behave.
is that so?
A number of interesting studies published in recent years disprove the idea of genetic determinism, which states that each of us is the enslaved slave of our genetic code. The first study came this year from the University of Florida, and at first glance it seems as if it actually proves that genes do determine how our lives will look. As part of the study, the researchers were able to show that young people with a certain variation in the DAT1 gene tend to join criminals.
But does this discovery constitute proof of genetic determinism? A closer look at the results of the study shows that Kotz Valya Bo. The researchers took DNA samples of almost 2,000 boys of middle school and high school age and discovered that not only the variation in the garden determines the level of delinquency of the boys, but also a very important environmental factor - aka their family. Children with the same mixed gene who came from problematic families (characterized by separation from the mother and lack of maternal love) were found to be at a high risk of teaming up with criminals. In contrast, children with the same genetic variation - but who received a large dose of love from their mother - did not show a tendency to delinquency beyond normal.
What does that mean, actually? Well, the immediate and obvious conclusion is that genes alone do not determine our lives or our thoughts. There are other factors that need to be brought into the equation, such as the family and the degree of warmth and love to which the person was exposed in his youth. But how is this possible, if genes are the source of all cellular activities?
The answer to this comes from the complex relationship between genes and proteins. Each gene contains information that leads to the creation of a certain protein. The proteins are the 'black workers' in the cell - they are the ones who do all the important jobs. The genes, on the other hand, do nothing. They just sit in the DNA and wait for proteins to come copy them and create new proteins from them. And here comes the million dollar question: what if the proteins could 'choose' not to copy a certain gene?
The answer is clear: in this case, the same gene will, in practice, disappear from the cells. Although it will remain in the DNA, it will not undergo transcription and will not be able to create its specific protein. This question is not an answer, because it turns out that although our genetic information is fixed, and each of us is indeed 'stuck' with the genes we were born with, the cells are able to change their transcription pattern, and order proteins to block certain genes and open others.
The process of silencing and opening genes can occur in any cell in the body, including the brain. And not only that, but it turns out that the process in the brain is very dynamic and happens all the time. David Clayton studied canaries in 1992 and demonstrated that when the little bird hears a new song, the transcription pattern of a gene called egr1 in its brain changes. From this gene, proteins begin to be formed at an increasing rate, and those proteins are in turn responsible for encouraging the transcription and translation of other genes. In this way, just hearing a courtship song starts a chain of events that may lead to a sharp change in the bird's behavior.
Clayton's research is supplemented by a 2002 article by Professor Gene Robinson and his colleagues. The researchers monitored thousands of genes simultaneously in the brains of the honey bees, and discovered that many of them respond in real time to social stimuli. One of the results of the research was the discovery of a gene called for, whose increased transcription causes the bees to move to collect honey instead of working inside the hive itself.
These studies prove time and time again that we cannot blame our genes for our behavior. Although the genes do provide the basis for the brain's operation, the intracellular control over them changes from moment to moment according to stimuli from the environment. But is this the end of the matter? Most likely not, and that the research to understand the connection between behavior and DNA - and vice versa - is just beginning. There is almost no doubt, my friend, that already in the coming years it will become clear that the patterns of gene transcription in the brain can be determined not only by stimuli from the environment, but also by correct thinking, which will lead to a change in the patterns of gene transcription in the brain.
What does the future hold for us? At its best, we may reach a situation where we can change our behavior, our feelings and our mood through unique thought processes, which will activate different gene transcription patterns than usual. Maybe we can even change our IQ, or (and equally important) our sex drive. This process could be enhanced by drugs or even biological and/or electronic implants.
All of these are still many years away from us, but for now it is enough for us to remember that each person has control over his life and thoughts. In other words, the genes are not to blame. The Pole is always to blame.
For a message on the University of Florida website
More on the subject on the science website
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The article talks about epigenetics, without mentioning the word even once, strange. The environment can control the expression of our genes, meaning which ones will be activated and which ones will not. Scientists thought that genes were a complicated thing until they realized that there is epigenetics which is even more complicated.
The way the environment affects organisms is through epigenetics, therefore environment and epigenetics are almost synonymous, and even before science was aware of the existence of epigenetics, no scientist believed in genetic determinism because they always knew that the environment has an effect on behavior and thoughts (which affect our epigenetics) have an effect on behavior , learned all this from studies on identical twins years before they knew about epigenetics. By the way, in genetically identical twins there are differences in epigenetics that increase over the years.
Leleby:
Everything is true, but who takes shortcuts?
The DNA does not work alone, there is a whole system around it that enables or inhibits gene expression = what is called "epigenetics".
I recently came across a study that describes the clear transmission of acquired "traits" - and a brief summary of it says that if a pregnant woman goes through a crisis/shock/trauma today - like the trauma of 9.11/XNUMX - a change will be caused in the genetic expression of her fetus, the change is permanent, and this is how she will pass on her results The physicality of the trauma for future generations, as they say: about thirty and a quarter. In other words, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will also bear the memory of the event that they themselves did not experience. Things are not simple and there is no need to take shortcuts.
And if we are grandmothers then where are the wheels?
skate!!!!!
So if we are a smooth board - where is the evolution, and if we are pre-programmed - then where is the Nazism that will do some selection???
decide!!!!!!!!!
Very Good. This means that the vines can be treated.
"biologist":
Definately not
Hill:
It is not said here that genes have no effect. All in all, it was said that the environment also has an effect - at least in some of the issues.
In fact - even what determines the extent of the environment's ability to influence are the genes.
If you look at the example given at the beginning regarding the DAT1 gene, then - although a suitable environment saved some of its carriers from joining criminals, still those who did not carry the problematic gene did not need environmental protection either (because otherwise there would be no correlation)
Roy
If there is no genetic determinism then how exactly does natural selection work?
After all, it all relies on genetic changes that are exposed to survivors.
Slate in Dabash?
The garden - which will have the most defective "defect" can be transformed and improved by - "word" = Hebrew pronunciation, (as well as circumcision) brought here as a reminder to listen from the heart to the words spoken for the purpose of raising a son / bar - the "born" garden to overcome any defect Genetic Shankara. Since man is a social creature
The effects of the environment (surroundings) also work in revolving circles of inspiration. At the same time, every human being is given a high desire for freedom, wherever he is, to learn in every way of the righteous land - and a spirit to repair, heal, restore that "genetic defect", and thus he also inspires Also about his respected parents/teachers and who will be the coldest..and the dearest..he is already known to know how to melt and warm to their gusts of wind...
The laughter of cute children changes a lot of worlds... and it's never too late... right now/at any given moment
As the flight of the "supreme willpower"...the sweet/tack....:)
.
Is it not for Marxist?
But isn't it possible that the same gene identified in the children also exists in their parents and therefore their parents are cold towards them?
In other words, couldn't it be that the garden caused the environment in which they grew up?
And as the saying goes: there is nothing that stands in the way of good will and noble thought: "a good word" generates transformation in all wise spirals "the genome of eternity" and even more, which is spun by generous inspiration.
Hugin: From a table if fate is wisdom.
Leoramborum
Very interesting, I've lived in Mid-Israel for decades and I didn't know it was communist. You enlightened my eyes!
What is it like to live in a communist country called Israel?
And what about white-collar crime? Genetics or not?
Why are there no studies on the subject?
interesting. Thanks