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The
hormone-emotion-behavioural gene-neuromessenger labyrinth:
Pertinent questions
N. A. Adamafio
Department
of Biochemistry, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. E-mail:
adamafio@ug.edu.gh,
adamafio@gmail.com.
Accepted 10
September, 2009 |
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The
discovery of behavioural genes has raised the prospect that
behaviour may be governed, in part, by the actions of mutant
gene products on the brain. These are mostly enzymes or
proteins involved in processes related to neurotransmission.
In addition, numerous studies have demonstrated the effects
of specific hormones on behaviour. Furthermore, the ability
of intense emotions to stimulate or suppress the synthesis
of a variety of hormones is well-documented. An incredibly
murky picture of multi-directional interrelationships
between behavioural genes, emotions and biochemical
messengers is emerging, making it increasingly difficult to
distinguish between causes and effects. This article seeks
to highlight a number of unresolved issues in this
intriguing area of behavioural endocrinology and examine the
ramifications of behavioural gene discoveries.
Key word: Behavioural
genes, emotions, biochemical messengers. |
