Do you know what the things you inherited from your parents are?
How often have you and your siblings’ striking features caught your attention? Perhaps you share your mother’s endearing smile. Maybe your father has always said that you have your grandmother’s eyes. What about the fact that no one else in the family has your vivid blonde hair?
These things are just some physical traits that resemble our parents or grandparents, but the scientific explanation behind them is a bit wider.
Genetic variation occurs in three primary ways. One trait that a dominant gene can inherit is your eye color. You will inherit the dominant gene and end up with brown eyes if your mother has green eyes and your father has brown eyes.
Additionally, you might inherit recessive genes. In this instance, you cannot inherit it unless both of your parents possess it. Your parents share a recessive gene if you have blue eyes.
Last but not least, some characteristics, referred to as “X traits,” may only be inherited from your mother because they are exclusively present in X chromosomes.
Are you a little confused after reading these lines? Don’t worry, because on the next page, you will find a more in-depth explanation regarding the topic.
Your mood “swings”
Do you remember that time when your mother was angry because you forgot to wash your dishes after eating dinner? This was a regular occurrence, not just when she was having a bad day.
Apparently, there is a scientific explanation for this. A study that was published in The Journal of Neuroscience indicates that your mother’s genes, particularly if you’re a girl, have an impact on your mood!
Mothers are more likely to pass on to their daughters the structure of the corticolimbic system, a region of the brain that regulates emotions. Mothers are less likely to pass on this same structure to their sons, and fathers are even less likely to do so to children of either sex.
Depression and other mood disorders are known to be impacted by this same structure, so if you’ve ever experienced prolonged sadness, this may be the cause. Please remember to get medical attention if you need it!
How fertile you are
A study that was published in Science suggested that a woman’s father’s genes might influence her fertility. The centrioles are a feature of normal egg cells, and the woman becomes sterile if this portion of the cell is not removed, which usually occurs as part of the normal development process.
If you and your spouse are having trouble conceiving, knowing that you haven’t done anything to jeopardize your ability to start a family should ease your mind.
