Communication

Human beings have a strong need for positive social interaction. Intimate relationships with a partner are particularly important for our health. Clearly, such relationships depend on communication and conflict management, and of course have a lot to do with individual biochemistry. Specifically one protein: the neuropeptide known as oxytocin.

Oxytocin is a peptide (i.e. a ketogenic amino acid) which is responsible for ensuring that we communicate in a positive manner. And it has the desirable side-effect of inhibiting stress hormones, namely the secretion of cortisol. So if we produce oxytocin, we are better able to resolve conflict. How much of this oxytocin we produce is, of course, genetically determined.

We now know that some people are better at conflict resolution than others. One of our genetic tests will shed light on this, and we can then pursue a more targeted strategy for dealing with anger, stress and conflict. Here too, it is helpful to know about our genes.

Genius is not a gene

Not everything is down to genetic predisposition. For example, whether we are a genius or not. It is a massive simplification to say that an individual was born a genius because of their genetic predisposition.

That belief has now been completely refuted. Take Darwin, Einstein or Mozart, for example. These were people who had no genetic predisposition for the things they achieved. They just applied themselves assiduously.

Educationists estimate that a learner needs to spend approximately 10,000 hours studying and practicing before he or she becomes really proficient in a skill. And that was also true of the three aforementioned geniuses. The secret of success is ultimately performing an activity very often and very intensively.

New grey cells

If we want to remain mentally fit, it is useful to know about our own genetic disposition. The preconditions for dementia/Alzheimer’s are written in our genes. And there have been some recent findings on this front, including those of Dr Magdalena Götz, a Professor of Physiological Genomics who directs the Institute for Stem Cell Research at the Helmholtz Center in Munich. It was long believed that our neurons are first formed and then grow old and die. We now know, however, that new nerve cells can form, even at a later stage in life.

Recently, cognitive training methods have been developed (brain teasers) which – depending on the genetic disposition of the individual – can stimulate the growth of nerve cells in very important areas of the brain. Even if someone is already suffering from dementia or has had a stroke, damaged nerve cells can be repaired. Consequently, we can recommend to someone on the basis of a genetic test that they should do brain teasers to repair their damaged nerve cells.

Prevention or precaution?

Precautionary medicine is a bit different from prevention. Precaution means that you investigate to see if everything is in order. That’s not the same as prevention. Prevention comes from the Latin word meaning “to come ahead of”, i.e. anticipating a danger. This active approach is becoming more fashionable, and not just because we at Salvagene recommend it. There have recently been some persuasive studies, including one from Norfolk in the UK. This showed that a few simple preventive measures can put ten additional years on the average person’s life. These include: - not smoking; - taking regular exercise; - taking vitamin C supplements; - reducing alcohol consumption to under 120 grams per week. We adapt these and other measures to your individual genetic makeup and are optimistic that we can even exceed these extra ten years by performing a gene analysis.

Comfortable temperature

The human race went through most of its evolution in Africa without any perceived need for clothes. We are genetically programmed to feel more comfortable in warmer climes. It is in our nature to respond to warmth, and now that the days are getting longer, we are looking forward to them also heating up. The average temperature in Africa is 27°C, and a human being can feel comfortable at this temperature without clothes. 27 degrees Celsius is the perfect temperature for the skin. Once it starts to get a little cooler – round about the 22/23°C mark – we begin to feel the need for clothes. The whole thing is genetically predetermined and is influenced by daylight.

Grey hair

Having a good head of hair is generally associated with youth and health. So when do we start to turn grey? The explanation is straightforward and is genetically determined. It is caused by reduced enzyme activity which inhibits the formation of pigments. Because we are now able to identify this gene, we can help by replacing the enzymes that have been lost due to the limited activity of the gene. We are talking about very simple plant structures which are supplemented by amino acids and L-glutamine. So for people who have turned grey prematurely, there is every chance that some of their hair will revert to its previous color.

Age intervention

It is no longer justifiable to wait for diseases caused by aging to set in before we treat them; instead, we should forestall the aging process from the outset or push it as far as possible into the future, i.e. around the maximum age limit. Basic research, as well as experience with the very old, shows that the years of frailty, illness and infirmity can be reduced significantly as a proportion of an individual’s lifespan. It is high time to make full use of the knowledge we already have, without losing sight of the risks or the principle of scientific objectivity. And finally, with every year that we get older, we become more and more aware that we are ultimately the result of all the choices we have made in life. Determining for ourselves the course of our own aging process on the basis of scientifically sound findings could rank as one of the most important decisions of our lives.