Serotonin (the “happiness hormone”)

Yes, there’s also a gene for it. A team at the University of Essex in the UK took a closer look at the so-called 5HTTLPR gene and discovered that, in certain long variants, serotonin (i.e. our happiness hormone) is transported much faster, with the result that it is delivered in larger quantities to the brain. Consequently, the length of this gene determines whether we take a more positive view of the world, keep our chin up during times of crisis and tend to see the glass as half full. But in the case of shorter gene variants, the glass will be seen as half empty. More details soon ...