Newly Discovered 'Altruism Gene' Makes You More Charitable

What makes you more charitable than others? Researchers at University of Bonn claim that they've found evidence in the 'altruism gene'.

People with this change gave twice as much money on average to a charitable cause as did other study subjects.

Scientists Find Evidence of Human-like Altruism in Chimps
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany, have investigated evidence of human like altruism in chimpanzees.

Professor Dr. Martin Reuter and his colleagues asked participants were to memorize series of numbers and then repeat them as correctly as possible -for which they would receive five Euros - which they could either take home or donate.

DNA swabs taken pre-test were analysed and the team focused on one gene that contains the building instructions for an enzyme, which inactivates certain messengers in the brain - the most well known of these messengers is dopamine.

"Students with the COMT-Val gene donated twice as much money on average as did fellow students with the COMT-Met variant", explained Reuter.

Researchers Try to Understand Genetic Mystery of Sacrifice and Altruism
Michigan State University researchers have shed new light on what it is that makes species altruistic.

The reason why the Bonn scientists focused their analysis on the COMT gene: For several years, it has been known that dopamine is involved in controlling social behaviour in animals and humans. Thus the messenger, together with substances such as the neuropeptide vasopressin, influences sexuality and bonding.

In addition, dopamine is linked with positive emotionality. Even the characteristic of being motivated by stimuli is controlled by this important neurotransmitter.

Sex Appeal Enhanced by Altruism
Displays of altruism or selflessness towards others are seen by females as the most attractive trait in a partner, according to a new research carried out by biologists and a psychologist

The study is published in Neuroscience.

Source-ANI

Activation of a Particular Brain Region Predicts Altruism: Study
Researchers have discovered that activation of a particular brain region predicts whether people tend to be selfish or altruistic