Once again, an example of a gene that plays some role in determining a human behavior has been found. Vasopressin, a neuropeptide, has long been known to regulate monogamous behavior in male voles. As with all signalling molecules in the brain, the effects of vasopressin can be changed by variations in its receptors (the molecules that recognize the signal; the lock to the key). Interestingly, recent research indicates that vasopressin plays a similar regulatory role in humans. Specifically, research published in PNAS aimed to determine if there was variability in the pair-bonding behavior amongst men possessing variable copies (none, one or two) of a version of a gene that codes for one subtype of the vasopressin receptor. As can be read from the table above, the work reports that men with more copies of this gene were less likely to be married, and more likely to answer yes to the question: "Have you experienced marital crisis or threat of divorce within the last year?"
References:
1. Walum, H, Westberg, L, Henningsson, S, Neiderhiser, JM, Reiss, D, Igl, W, Ganiban, JM, Spotts, EL, Pedersen, NL, Eriksson, E, & Lichtenstein, P. (2008) Genetic variation in the vasopressin receptor 1a gene (AVPR1A) associates with pair-bonding behavior in humans. PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.0803081105
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