A Link Between A Human’s Genetic Code & Their Social Cognition
Chromosome in the 23rd pair from the father. When there is an X chromosome from the father, the girl will do better in a social situation than if the child only has her one X chromosome from the mother. In regards to employment capability and Turner Syndrome, a US study that was organised with a sample size of two hundred and forty women with Turner Syndrome, found that the women had qualifications at high levels and were in employment. This was independent of the parental origin of the X chromosome: there is no link between where there the X chromosome is derived from and intelligence.
Most women were independent and lived well in their adult lives. ConclusionIn conclusion, we see that genes do in fact affect certain areas of behaviour in the genetic disorder of Turner Syndrome. The mutation in the genetic code that results in the 2nd X chromosome in the 23rd pair to be missing in girls, affects areas within the idea of behaviour, but through research, I have realised it predominately affects social behaviour. The girls and women affected can be socially backwards in the sense of finding it hard to form strong social relationships like close friendships and overall ‘socially awkward. ’This lack of ‘correct’ behaviour is initially a result of genetics and the genetic condition but an increase in this behaviour may have been fuelled by environmental factors later on. However, when researching other areas of behaviour like communication skills or emotional behaviours like empathy or anger didn’t seem to be affected by the condition.
Here, we see that for Turner syndrome, genes do not affect this area. However, studies like the ones mentioned, show a clear link between genes and behaviour in Turner Syndrome especially between genes and social behaviour. 22q11 Deletion Syndrome22q11 Deletion Syndrome consists of deletion in a human’s genetic code, more specifically, a deletion in the 22nd chromosome: the second to last chromosome. The deletion within the genetic code is near the middle of the section called q11; hence the name of the disorder being 22q11. This disorder is also known as digeorge Syndrome. The disorder is again incurable but health care officials like doctors and nurses try and make the patient’s sanctity of life as best as possible in an ethical way. Scientists are constantly trying to find cures or ways to help improve the affecter’s life.
Digeorge’s syndrome is from birth and causes problem throughout the patient’s life; for example, problems with their heart and also, severe to mild learning difficulties. The severity of the illness drastically varies between patients. Even within families, one person could have life-threatening levels of severity whilst for others, symptoms are definitely present, but are more subdued. Levels of severity within the disorder vary: to the varying extent of some dying from the disorder itself to others not even knowing they have it till later on in life. With some genetic conditions the chance of passing on this faulty gene to offspring is high, even sometimes being a 50% chance of passing the faulty allele down. However, for this disorder, many don’t pass it down. This could be because: when the person has severe symptoms, their life expectancy could decrease to less than fertility years or their condition is so severe, they are not in a place to have children.
If this genetic condition has previously occurred in the family but neither parents have the gene, it is only 10% likely to have a child with this gene – 1 in 100 but 50% if a parent has this faulty deletion in their genetic code. If a person comes in with similar symptoms to digeorge, they are often checked with blood tests or tested during pregnancy using chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis or IVF. When talking about the symptoms of 22q11 deletion syndrome, there are many that could occur but most people won’t have them all. Some of the most common amongst 22q11 deletion syndrome’s symptoms are a delay in motor skills in early childhood like delay to walk and run. They can also experience other learning difficulties like ADHD that affect the person in school and then later on in a workplace environment; the parents may also find it hard to cope to an extent.
There might also be other cognitive differences like speech and hearing problems – ‘temporary hearing loss due to frequent ear infection’ that may occur. Finally, the child being born with a cleft lip or palate may also occur resulting in difficulty in feeding and the requirement of surgery early on. As mentioned before, the child may have an internal problem too like heart defects: congenital heart disease or hormone problems: underactive parathyroid – lead to tremors or seizures. Adults with 22q11 deletion Syndrome are often able to live independently in their adult lives as symptoms like speech and hearing problems become less of an issue. Regular check-ups are made as a treatment scheme throughout their life as there is currently no cure.
Behavioural factors can be a result of other symptoms that are in line with 22q11 deletion syndrome. For example, the child can be socially immature which is often as a result of their language delay. This then causes them to have unusual personalities that are different from the norm. They are well-liked but their immaturity overrides this and makes them different. A drawback caused by the disorder leads to other problems. Due to the differences in nature to a control group, people with digeorge Syndrome can be gullible in a sense that they might end up doing the wrong thing if they believe it will lead to them having friends and becoming part of a group. They will follow the crowd. In addition, they may show signs of obsessive behaviour e.g focusing on minimal things in the wider picture that is of no importance. They can all be obsessive over everyday objects and actions like eating the same things all the time or having the same playing format.
This obsessive behaviour may also mirror autism or autistic behaviour. Here, this deletion in the genetic code causes changes within behaviour where the person becomes obsessed with trivial things. Also, another behavioural problem that people with 22q11 deletion Syndrome face is that they may have ‘limited pragmatic skills for making judgements’. This judgement of a person’s facial expressions in line to see the emotion they are feeling is hard for a person with 22q11 deletion Syndrome; they are unable to conclusively judge people’s degree of emotion in a conversation or visually. Due to this, they may consequently be unable to act appropriately in a certain situation. For example, a person could become upset at what they have said, but continue talking about the sensitive topic as they have yet to realise the change in emotion from the conversation. Here, we see this genetic disorder has an effect on social behaviour and the above behavioural causes are all because of genetic mutation.
To strengthen this point, studies show that in puberty, the young adult that has this condition faces difficulties with socialising, understanding duties set, hygiene of the body and many more. This would all affect the person’s education considerable e.g a low understanding of hygiene may result in low hygiene, then making it more likely the child becomes ill more times and has to miss school, consequently missing out on vital education. A genetic problem causes this disorder which then causes behavioural problems as mentioned. Thus, genes do affect behaviour here. Finally, we see yet again that the there is a link between a human’s genetic code and their social cognition. With digeorge Syndrome, the person has poor social skills and act immaturely or inappropriately at times, thus they may get on better with younger children. Also, they can get frustrated easily, give up on a task as soon as a challenge occur and get distracted easily. As mentioned before, people with this disorder will have difficulty with reading facial expression and in an overall context, oral language.
Clinical Feature – Psychological Issues Self-esteem is a key issue with children as they are more subject to anxiety problems and can have mood swings. Puberty seems to be a turning point in behaviour. They can tend towards depression and other mental health problems as they grow into adulthood. Statistics from studies indicated that ‘25% of the 22q population may develop problems such as schizophrenia.’ Problems with anxiety and mood swings may be noted.
Conclusion
To conclude on 22q11 Deletion syndrome, also known as digeorge Syndrome, it is clear that there are links to behaviour differences to a control group. A deletion of a gene segment causes this disorder that then alters behaviour in the person. Here, we see that overall behaviour, psychological issues and communication skills are factors that are affected by the idea of a person’s behaviour.
We see the person has unusual social behaviour like in Turner Syndrome. It was mentioned that the child with 22q11 Deletion Syndrome may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). When researching further on the causes of ADHD, a condition that makes a person’s behaviour erratic and hyper, studies imply a genetic cause. Research studies with on a large scale have implied that there could be a ‘genetic component’ as is often runs in the family and there are links to ADHD within families. As ADHD as some sort of cause lying within genetics, the behaviour that results in the condition is affected by genes and the genome of the human. So, with aspects in behaviour like an effect on emotions, there seems to be no link between genes and 22q11 Deletion Syndrome but in other parts, a definite link is clear.
