People’s willingness to help others may be influenced by a gene that affects their level of social anxiety, according to a new study led by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientist.
Scott Stoltenberg, behavior geneticist and the study’s lead author, said the gene — officially known as the 5-HTTLPR triallelic genotype — affects the amygdala, an area of the brain that is sensitive to threat.
“This particular gene makes a difference in how sensitive you are to threat,” he said. “If you’re looking at an ambiguous social situation, where there’s someone standing there, needing help — maybe you are more likely to interpret that as a threat, a potentially dangerous or embarrassing situation.”
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People with the recessive version of the gene were more likely to take social risks and to assist other people.
Read the full, original story here:ย UNL scientists find genetic signiture for helping people
