Do you think slow? Don’t blame yourself. Blame your genes, claim scientists.
A latest study has found that the genes inherited by parents play a pivotal role in brain-related illnesses in the child.
Dr. Alex Fornito and his colleagues from the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre at the University of Melbourne, Australia, University of Queensland and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom initiated the first-of-its-kind study that links working of the brain with genes.
"The brain is an extraordinarily complex network of billions of nerve cells interconnected by trillions of fibres. In this network, efficient communication is very important. More connections make the network more efficient, allowing different parts of the brain to talk to each other quickly and effectively,” said the lead investigator.
Study examines brain scans of twins
For the study, the researchers examined the brain scans of 38 identical twins and 26 non-identical twins.
While identical twins have all genes common, non-identical ones have only half of their genes the same.
"Given this difference, if genes are important in determining a trait then we would expect the identical twins to be a lot more similar than the non-identical twins. So we can use various statistical models to work out the exact contribution the genes make to the trait,” said Dr. Alex.
The researchers calculated the cost-efficiency of the network wiring of the brain, using MRI
scans and found that cost-efficiency of the brains varied from one human to another and almost 60 percent of these differences could be traced in genes.
Also, the genes played most important role in strategic thinking, planning, and memory, which is why slow brain is something one is born with.
Importance of study
The findings of the study will help in understanding the working of the brain and in hence help cure the mental illnesses.
"Ultimately, this research may help us uncover which specific genes are important in explaining differences in cognitive abilities, risk for mental illness and neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease,” said the lead author.
“Although genes play a major role, the environment and other factors can influence the timing of when things go wrong in cases of mental illness and other brain disorders,” concluded the researchers.
A latest study has found that the genes inherited by parents play a pivotal role in brain-related illnesses in the child.Dr. Alex Fornito and his colleagues from the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre at the University of Melbourne, Australia, University of Queensland and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom initiated the first-of-its-kind study that links working of the brain with genes.
"The brain is an extraordinarily complex network of billions of nerve cells interconnected by trillions of fibres. In this network, efficient communication is very important. More connections make the network more efficient, allowing different parts of the brain to talk to each other quickly and effectively,” said the lead investigator.
Study examines brain scans of twins
For the study, the researchers examined the brain scans of 38 identical twins and 26 non-identical twins.
While identical twins have all genes common, non-identical ones have only half of their genes the same.
"Given this difference, if genes are important in determining a trait then we would expect the identical twins to be a lot more similar than the non-identical twins. So we can use various statistical models to work out the exact contribution the genes make to the trait,” said Dr. Alex.
The researchers calculated the cost-efficiency of the network wiring of the brain, using MRI
scans and found that cost-efficiency of the brains varied from one human to another and almost 60 percent of these differences could be traced in genes.Also, the genes played most important role in strategic thinking, planning, and memory, which is why slow brain is something one is born with.
Importance of study
The findings of the study will help in understanding the working of the brain and in hence help cure the mental illnesses.
"Ultimately, this research may help us uncover which specific genes are important in explaining differences in cognitive abilities, risk for mental illness and neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease,” said the lead author.
“Although genes play a major role, the environment and other factors can influence the timing of when things go wrong in cases of mental illness and other brain disorders,” concluded the researchers.
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