KARACHI: There is good news for depressed hearts that scientists have found a gene that makes people happy but it only works in women.
The study focused on a gene called MAOA that affects the levels of feel-good chemicals in the brain.
Almost 350 men and women were asked how happy they were and gave a saliva sample that was tested for their DNA.
The MAOA gene comes in two versions, a highly active and a less active type.
Women with the less active type were happier than others, the researchers found and those with two copies of the “happy” type of MAOA had the sunniest dispositions of all.
Many of the men in the study carried the gene but were no happier than others.
University of South Florida researcher Dr Henian Chen said this could be because its effects are cancelled out by testosterone but boys may benefit.
“Maybe men are happier before adolescence because their testosterone level is lower,” Dr Henian Chen said.
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