The Code: Newborn Screening
Newborn babies are routinely tested for phenylketonuria (PKU), a metabolic disorder that can cause retardation if not corrected with diet, and congenital hypothyroidism. Some states require additional tests for cystic fibrosis and hearing screening....
Serotonin and Violence
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, continues his comments about serotonin. Dr. Hamer explains that in addition to making people feel depressed, serotonin seems to also trigger hostility i...
Role of DNA, The
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about the role of DNA in human behavior. Dr. Hamer explains that DNA is like "...a blueprint that determines not only our physical bodies, but als...
Harm Avoidance (Part One)
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about harm avoidance, which he explains is the opposite of novelty seeking. In the words of Dr. Hamer, people who are harm avoidant see the world,...
Addictive Personalities
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about so-called "addictive personalities." He explains that the term itself is probably a misnomer, because there is no single personality configu...
Links Between Addictions
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, discusses the fact that, "...many different addictions tend to go together." He explains that, "...the probable reason is that there are certain persona...
Age Happens: Causes of Memory Loss and Dementia, The
Strokes are the second leading cause of cognitive loss late in life. A person's language and memory system may be compromised by a major stroke, or by a series of small strokes that gradually diminish a person's cognitive capacity. The leading cause...
Novelty Seekers: Negative Consequences
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about the potential for negative consequences among those who are genetically inclined to seek thrills. Some of these consequences can include tak...
Nature vs. Nurture (Part One)
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, takes a fresh look at the nature vs. nurture controversy. Dr. Hamer contends that personality consists of two different components: temperament and char...
Novelty Seekers
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about efforts to learn more about the role genetics plays in the personality trait that motivates novelty seeking (sometimes known as sensation se...