Psychological Aspects of Genetic Research essays

Psychological Aspects of Genetic Research essays In recent news and scientific publications, there has been a great deal written in the area of genetic research. New discoveries of ways to possibly cure disease or rebuild life-saving tissues and organs based on this type of research hold great promise. In addition, this type of therapy raises the question of other applications, particularly in the area of mental illness and diseases. There have not been many concrete findings in this field, but certain experimental research results are fascinating. Experiments in this field are on the forefront of psychological and genetic research. Many connections can be made between genetics and certain psychological expressive traits or genes such as; intelligence, ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, aggression, and anxiety. Many of these emotion-based illnesses, such as manic depression and schizophrenia, can be connected to the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) and the 5-HT2c receptor. Another area of the brain under research is the myelin sheath about schizophrenia and manic depression. The brain chemical Serotonin has been the newest target of medication known as anti-depressants, and drugs that deal with mood stabilization. Another gene that is currently being researched at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is a single gene: Pet-1. This gene regulates the production of serotonin and controls the communication between cells. Serotonin levels have previously been proven to influence emotion, learning, memory, and pain detection. "These small number of neurons can sprinkle serotonin all over the brain. That's why they have been implicated in so many brain processes and psychiatric disorders. But we know extremely little about them. This is the first gene we've found to control this," says study author Evan Deneris, an associate professor of neuroscience at Case Western. The studies of the serotonin transporter gene indicate a distinct phenotype of adults wit...