New Delhi: A study by Tohoku University, Japan revealed that the functional changes in the ancestral genes are the cause of increased anxiety levels in the modern population.
According to the study, Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 1 (VMAT 1) – a gene which regulates neuronal signalling, has been found carrying fewer neurotransmitters (a chemical messenger which transmits signals to the brain) as compared to that of our ancestors, triggering anxiety and depression.
The researchers visualised and counted the uptake of transmitters by every genotype evolved with the development of humans. They further found out the behaviour of VMAT 1 in the uptake of neurotransmitter during human evolution.
“The result of our study reveals that our ancestors may have been able to withstand higher levels of anxiety or depression,” the authors of the study were quoted by media as saying.
Moreover, the team is keen to further investigate the contribution of different variants in shaping the evolution of the human brain. They would further investigate a link between the evolution of genes and brain.