Is living clean the key to living long? Maybe not, says a new study by Yeshiva University’s Institute for Aging Research, which shows that people who made it to the ripe age of 95 were just as likely as their shorter-lived peers …
genes
Studies: New Clues to the Genetic Roots of Autism
Random changes in genes, rather than changes handed down from parents, may be responsible for some cases of autism, say scientists who report in three new papers a major breakthrough in understanding where those genetic changes may lie.
Study: A Mysterious Gene Variant That Makes Quitting Smoking Easier
Smokers with a variant gene linked to higher risk for heroin addiction and more relapse in alcoholism actually have an easier time quitting cigarettes — and a new study finds that their pleasure from nicotine varies with the …
New Alzheimer’s Genes: Why They Matter, Even If They Don’t Change Patient Care
Genes are a gateway to understanding disease, and Alzheimer’s is certainly no exception. In recent years, researchers have grown the list of known genes associated with the most common form of the condition, which affects …
Dwarfism May Hold Key to Fighting Cancer and Diabetes, and Living a Long Life
Growth hormone is touted as an anti-aging remedy, but scientists studying a group of short-statured Ecuadoreans might beg to differ.
Friends with (Genetic) Benefits?
A new study suggests that when it comes to certain genes, friends of a feather flock together—but with others, opposites attract.
New Way to Investigate Crime: A DNA Test for Hair Color
Never mind what the sleuths on CSI would have you believe, finding DNA at the scene of a crime can sometimes be a dead end. Your genome may readily reveal your susceptibility to certain diseases or even the consistency of your …
Is There Any Biology Behind Our Political Affiliations?
There are aspects of our lives that we like to think are totally under our control — political affiliation is certainly one of them. But a growing field of researchers asserts that there may be some biology underpinning our …
Too Many One-Night Stands? Blame Your Genes
Of all the shopworn, will-not-fly, don’t-even-think-of-trotting-it-out excuses for cheating on your significant other, the “I couldn’t help it” ploy has got to be the worst.
Study: New Genes Linked to Puberty and Body Weight in Women
Scientists have found 30 genes that control the timing of puberty in girls. Many of the newly identified genes also contribute to body weight and metabolism.
Spend Too Much For Those Shoes? Blame Your Genes
Science has yet to isolate the Godiva Chocolate or Prada gene, but that doesn’t mean your weakness for pricey swag isn’t woven into your DNA. According to a new study of identical twins, it’s less TV ads or Labor Day sales that …
Researchers identify genes that may cause stuttering
Drawing on previous research suggesting that stuttering might have genetic origins, a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine may have identified precisely which genes cause stuttering in certain people. Stuttering, the disorder characterized by repetition, delay and interruptions in speech, impacts an estimated 1% of
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Early Stress Changes Genes Involved in Bonding, Relationships
A growing body of research suggests that early life experience changes the way genes respond to the world—and this can influence everything from the way people respond to stress to their risks for various diseases.
A new study–published in Nature Neuroscience and led by Chris Murgatroyd of the Max Planck Institute in …