Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 Traits You Didn't Know Were Genetic!
- Scientists find two violent genes that can carry aggression
- Violence turns out to be genetically inherited
- Violence is a complex behavior, cannot blame genes alone
Medical Video: 5 Traits You Didn't Know Were Genetic!
The incidence of violence is still very difficult to suppress in society. The types are many, the perpetrator can be anyone, can happen at any time, and the victim is indiscriminate. Starting from children, women, workers and students can be involved in violence. This might make everyone wonder, why is it so hard to eliminate violence? The answer might surprise you.
Scientists find two violent genes that can carry aggression
A 2014 study was conducted in Finland of prisoners in prison who then carried out genetic analysis. The result, obtained two genes associated with violence and aggressive attitude. The two genes are MAOA and Cadherin 13 genes (CDH 13). People who have these violent genes are 13 times more at risk of having a history of repeated violence.
The MAOA gene functions to break down neurotransmitters (a chemical compound in the brain to connect and inform brain cells) such as norepinephrine and serotonin. These two compounds affect a person's emotional state.
The MAOA gene is also associated with the risk of violence in children and children growing up to become a person sociopath. Judging by sex, men with mutations in the MAOA gene tend to show attitudes that lead to violence compared to women.
The second gene is the CDH13 gene. This gene serves to help the growth and relationship of neurons (brain cells). So far, many studies have concluded that the CDH13 gene is also associated with diseases such as ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism.
Violence turns out to be genetically inherited
Like other genetic codes, MAOA and Cadherin 13 can be passed from parents to children. In other words, children whose parents tend to commit violence may grow up to be violent as well.
However, of course this is not a fixed price. Because the child or parent may carry this gene in the body. The problem is whether the gene is active or not.
Certain genes in the body can be activated under certain conditions. For example the environment in which children grow up is indeed full of violence done by parents. As a result, the violent genes of children who were previously inactive can become active so that children have a tendency to do violence too.
This is referred to as the chain of violence. It is very difficult to break this chain because people who already have these two genes are more at risk of committing violence and reducing their aggressive nature to the next generation for generations.
So, it is very important for parents to ensure that during childhood, children are in a safe and conducive environment. The method can be started from yourself, for example by not using violence as method for instilling discipline.
Violence is a complex behavior, cannot blame genes alone
There are around 40 to 50 percent of humans carrying these two violent genes. It seems a lot, right? Although it seems a lot, not everyone who carries this gene must be aggressive and violent.
Human behavior is influenced by interactions between genes and environmental factors that will shape the structure of the brain and its perspective. Social, cultural, and educational factors play an important role in shaping one's emotions, morals, and common sense.
That means even if you have this gene, you can still prevent yourself from committing violence through moral awareness. Moral awareness can help you sort out what behaviors can be accepted in society and which are not.
Moral itself is the ability to distinguish which actions are right and acceptable in society with which actions are wrong and unacceptable. So, it is not impossible for people who carry these two violent genes to resist the urge to commit violence.
Likewise, vice versa, can not if only blame the genes when someone acts violence. The problem is, you should have the urge not to commit violence.
