Happiness gene discovered

Our mood can be affected by genes in the brain London - Arabstoday Ladies, this may make you smile. Gents, you may want to look away now. Scientists have found a gene that makes people happy – but it only works in women. The findings could help explain why women are often happier than men, said the predominantly female team of US researchers. The study could explain why women are often happier than men Our mood can be affected by the presence, or lack of, certain genes in the brain The study focused on a gene called MAOA that affects the levels of feel-good chemicals in the brain. Almost 350 men and women were asked how happy they were and gave a saliva sample that was tested for their DNA. The MAOA gene comes in two versions, a highly active and a less active type. Women with the less active type were happier than others, the researchers found – and those with two copies of the ‘happy’ type of MAOA had the sunniest dispositions of all. Some 59 per cent of the women studied had one copy and a lucky 17 per cent had two – leaving only around one in four women lacking the happiness gene. Many of the men in the study carried the gene but were no happier than others. University of South Florida researcher Dr Henian Chen said this could be because its effects are cancelled out by testosterone – but boys may benefit. He added: ‘Maybe men are happier before adolescence because their testosterone level is lower.’ The link, reported in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, was true even when other factors affecting wellbeing – from age to income – were taken into account. But there was a downside – the happy version of the gene has been linked to alcoholism and anti-social behaviour. Dr Chen said: ‘You may be more likely to get into trouble but still be happier than the next person.’ With up to 50 per cent of our predisposition to optimism in our DNA, it is thought that the gene is one of many involved in happiness.