People with a genetic predisposition for anxiety might be less likely to help others, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that lower engagement in prosocial behavior — such as volunteering — and higher social avoidance are associated with a variation in the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region.
“Previous research has shown that the brain’s serotonin neurotransmitter system plays an important role in regulating emotions,” study researcher Scott Stoltenberg, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said in a statement. “Our findings suggest that individual differences in social anxiety levels are influenced by this serotonin system gene and that these differences help to partially explain why some people are more likely than others to behave prosocially. Studies like this one show that biological factors are critical influences on how people interact with one another.”
Source: The Huffington Post
