Genetic link to bullying response
Posted on 25. Jul, 2010 by admin in Health
London- British and US team have found a genetic variation to deal with emotional problems in bullied individuals.
Karen Sugden et al., of the King College, London has reported a study based on about 2,232 5-year-old twins (same sex). The subjects were physiologically assessed psychologically at ages 5 and 12, respectively.
Besides the team also took their DNA samples so to check for genetic variation if any. The team’s study will come in August edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Their report says that genetic differences in 5-HTTLPR gene (the serotinin transporter) interact with the bullying and manifest as emotional problems. The strength of the interaction though depend on how the bullying was experienced/taken by the person- both genetic and environment interaction to be the strongest in the most bullied (frequently) children. Implies the emotional response would be intense in the frequently bullied children.
What a great resource!