Women are more prone to happy emotions than men owing to the specific gene contained in the female DNA. Researchers at the University of South Florida came to this conclusion when they found the gene for the first time in history. The gene is responsible for an extremely high, as compared to men, level of neurotransmitters that are figuratively referred to as "pleasure hormones," wrote WellNews. The American scientists have not found anything like this in the genome of men.
The gene of happiness encodes monoamine oxidase-A (MAOA) protein. This enzyme, which, among other things, breaks up serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine - the neurotransmitters, monoamines also known as "pleasure hormones" - in the brain. First antidepressants were the inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (serotonin reuptake inhibitors are currently also used as antidepressants).
However, as the research revealed, the low-expressive version of MAOA provides for lower activities of monoamine oxidase and a higher level of monoamines in the brain tissues. This in turn has a positive effect on the mood of a human being.
The authors analyzed the DNA of 345 participants of the long-standing research about mental health "Children in the Society." As many as 193 women and 152 men took part in the research to study the variations of MAOA gene. The results were compared to the "level of happiness" of each participant. The people were estimating their level of happiness on a specially designed scale.
The study found that if the monoamine oxidase A gene was poorly defined, its female owner was more inclined to experiencing happiness. In fact, the ill-defined monoamine oxidase A gene has an ill reputation. Scientists call it the gene of a warrior and say that the gene is responsible for male aggression, alcoholism and antisocial behavior. Apparently, it is the matter of how the gene works in the male body under the influence of testosterone. If women had two copies of MAOA, the happiness level would grow too.