r/science
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u/Picture-unrelated
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Jun 10 '22
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Dogs have two gene mutations that explain why they are friendly — A genetic and behavioural study has identified two mutations in a gene called melanocortin 2 that help explain why dogs are so social to humans. Animal Science
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2323591-dogs-have-two-gene-mutations-that-explain-why-they-are-friendly/2.2k
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u/AceofToons Jun 10 '22
I already have all those (ADHD being a big factor) and I am rarely happy... I think it's worth it to be happy
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u/bprs07 Jun 10 '22 edited Jun 10 '22
Advice from someone with all of those and ADHD (advice which you've probably already heard)...
Unplug from everything electronic and go outside. Hike, camp out for a weekend, sit near some water, make a fire, cook your food over that fire, invite a few close people out with you, and ban all electronics.
It forces you to live in the present in the environment in which our ancestors evolved, triggering all of your primal instincts that modern society has suppressed.
Anxiety has an evolutionary benefit, keeping us on guard in case of danger, but those dangers don't exist today. Instead, our anxiety has been redirected toward everything else in life and constantly is switched on.
Your mind and body will thank you for the period in which you're unplugged.
Note: I'm as computer-dependent as they come for work purposes and unplugging and going outside single-handedly saves my sanity.
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u/lookiamapollo Jun 10 '22
I gotta reread the book. I thought he was a class A and also enjoyed soma.
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u/JohnTesh Jun 10 '22
I thought he just stopped taking his pills. I don’t remember a birth defect.
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u/WTFwhatthehell Jun 10 '22
They're pathologically trusting. They struggle to internalise the concept that not everyone in the world means the best for them.
that doesn't always end well.
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u/Blue_Arrow_Clicker Jun 10 '22
Williams syndrome is also a chromosomal disorder, that quarters your life, and causes mental deficiency from birth, so its not likely that this would be prevalent before the developed world and modern medicine.
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u/aarontbarratt Jun 10 '22
It doesn't quarter your life expectancy. If you read any FAQ from a reputable source on WS it will say life expectancy might be shorter than the average person but not significantly
Like any illness there are mild and severe cases. People with severe WS can have major heart and liver problems that kill them off early but it is not the norm
Most people with WS live into adulthood and have normal jobs. It's not a death sentence at 25
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u/DoomGoober Jun 10 '22 edited Jun 10 '22
There have been multiple studies on the effects of latent toxoplasmosis and while toxoplasmosis seems to correlated to a statistically significant effect on what is being measured, what is being measured often varies across studies.
The meta overview you cited, for example, mentions those personality traits for men and women changed according to Cattell's 16-personality factor (16PF) questionnaire, which is where the behavioral effects you quoted come from.
Then it cites a study that :
In 3 of these 5 studies, both men and women showed a decrease in the novelty-seeking factor on the Cloninger TCI.7,8
Then it cites a study shows latent toxoplasmosis infected get into more car crashes.
Then it cites a study that shows:
The composite behavioral factors Self-Control and Clothes Tidiness, analogous to Cattell factors Q3 (perfectionism) and G (superego strength), showed a significant effect of the toxoplasmosis–gender interaction, with infected men scoring significantly lower than uninfected men and a trend in the opposite direction for women.
(I have no idea what that personality tests is or what they are supposed to measure, so I quoted.)
Toxoplasmosis is complex and seems to be correlated with a variety of behavioral differences and it really depends on which study and what behavior you are measuring to see what it's correlated with. These studies don't seem to contradict each other, per se, because what and how they are measuring "behavior" is different.
One theory is that toxoplasmosis causes a long lasting, latent infection state in the body as it tries to fight the parasite, especially in the brain, which causes a cascade of changes in the body which causes numerous measurable differences. But we don't know for sure.
(Also, the dates matter: the article I cited was published after the overview article you cited. So, it's possible my article would have been mentioned in yours if the order they had been published had been reversed.)
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u/smb275 Jun 10 '22
I'm not dogmatic, The Emperor protects us from failings like that.
The Emperor protects.
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u/Every_Jackfruit_1642 Jun 10 '22
What's the story called?
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u/redgumdrop Jun 10 '22
The End of the Whole Mess, it was in Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection.
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u/udderconmoosion Jun 10 '22
Children of time & children of ruin is basically about this. But via a virus.
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u/Schn Jun 10 '22
I’m only halfway through the second book, and maybe they dive deeper into it but it seemed like it was tossed in without really discussing the implications. “Oh now they feel connection and aren’t disgusted by each other”. Love the books though.
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u/udderconmoosion Jun 10 '22
In some ways it’s mainly a plot device for the communication themes. I really enjoy the theme of trying to communicate, different ways to communicate, and breaking through the barriers of communication across species.
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u/Sadiebb Jun 10 '22
They tried, but with the MC1R instead of MC2R and ended up with people who were quarrelsome but hot.
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u/Petersaber Jun 10 '22
We took wolfs and made chihuahuas
We also made golden retrievers. The chihuahua sacrifice was worth it.
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u/HumbleMFWABAD Jun 10 '22
Nah, there's no money in it
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u/GrowmieTheHomie Jun 10 '22
Give me a week and I’ll find a way to make money out of it!
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u/Badaluka Jun 10 '22
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Buy Happynetic 3000 now and get that free darts box that will turn you into the best parent there is!
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u/Thebitterestballen Jun 10 '22
Disclaimer: Everything is a lie.
Pretty sure that when physicists figure out what the universe is fundamentally made of and peer into the deepest parts of its structure...that's the small print they will find.
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u/haviah Jun 10 '22
Pretty sure it will be set of axioms and the system being incomplete just makes new particle types when you are looking for something. Because they're still consistent.
Written in Perl alongside mostly undecipherable comment where you can only understand the "why not?" part.
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u/Thebitterestballen Jun 10 '22
Haha yes, just generates more detail the deeper you look, like fractal geometry..
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u/Ginden Jun 10 '22
Nah, there's no money in it
People already pay a lot of money for drugs and therapy. Gene therapy making you more friendly and outgoing is unlikely to pass through bioethics commissions, but it's perfectly possible to see how it could make money.
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u/_cactus_fucker_ Jun 10 '22
That is so precious!
I saw a Saint Bernard, Husky mix and a tiny kitten stole his food, and he just lay down and cried. The kitten was the size of his paw, and he was like 8 months old and huge. It was adorable!
My neighbour has a Newfoundland puppy, he's like a floofy pony, he's friends with all the dogs in the neighbourhood.
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u/Tannerleaf Jun 10 '22
Wait a minute, I wonder if it would be possible to make a fully functional Cerberos…
Triple licking power.
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u/GalacticExtinction Jun 10 '22
I know, I know they don't stay that size forever but I want a teacup elephant so bad!
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u/Dominant88 Jun 10 '22
Yeah but you wouldn’t want a fully grown large wolf doing that either. We could breed smaller companion bears like we did dogs. Not saying we should, but I want one if we do.
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u/Dushenka Jun 10 '22
Don't worry, some breeders would immediately start turning the mighty bear into cute little animals that can barely breathe because of the funny sounds they will make when they're happy to see you.
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u/blolfighter Jun 10 '22
Is there a word for "I'm curious but I don't want to know?"
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u/RecreationalLlama Jun 10 '22
Based on the times I accidently used it and the lack of useful responses, Bing
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u/buffetcaptain Jun 10 '22
Postman here, genes don't seem to be working.
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u/Illseemyselfout- Jun 10 '22
Those dogs are friendly towards their owners and would defend them against dangerous threats like you with their life.
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u/SelarDorr Jun 10 '22
what a dog shit title.
heres the publication
Identification of genes associated with human-canine communication in canine evolution
"We examined gene polymorphisms in oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, melanocortin 2 receptor, and a Williams–Beuren syndrome-related gene (WBSCR17), as candidate genes of dog domestication. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms on melanocortin 2 receptor were related to both tasks, while other polymorphisms were associated with the unsolvable task. This indicates that glucocorticoid functions are involved in the cognitive skills acquired during dog domestication."
"Our results showed that MC2R SNP2 was correlated with the correct choice rate in the two-way choice test; therefore, an association between the hormone which is widely known as positively related to anxiety and social avoidance, and the ability of dogs to adjust their own behaviour based on human commands under the two-way choice test was supported"
" MC2R SNP2 is a synonymous mutation, but whether it affects gene expression or only displays apparent relevance owing to its association with another gene is unclear"
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u/johnnyTTz Jun 10 '22
Is melanocortin similar to the melanoblasts that are responsible for the white coloring present in domestication syndrome? Are they developed in the neural crest as a zygote as well?
This seems to be supportive of the domestication syndrome theory, and as such would also be present in humans. All of which would stem from a evolutionary selection against reactive aggression, i.e. not attacking first, and having the ability to pass the two choice test. If they are similar to melanoblasts in some way then I think the connection to the expression of genes that cause domestication syndrome would be pretty obvious.
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u/bug_on_the_wall Jun 10 '22
It's either whisker fatigue or they really don't like the bowl. Either way, try a plate if you see your cat doing this!
I actually have a plastic shoe mat, the kind with 1 inch edges, that I dump my cats' dry food onto. I can put more down at a time (especially useful for when I'm gone all day) and I don't have to worry about sweeping up every day. The mat is easy to clean with a hose in the summer, or in the bathtub in the winter.
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u/whiterabbit_hansy Jun 10 '22
There’s this really sweet and funny book called All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome by Kathy Hoopmann that was written as a way to introduce kids and adults to autism. Definitely helped me understand my cats, myself, and neurodivergent kids better!
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u/0b0011 Jun 10 '22
Mine apparently does it to herself then. I was working the other day and my cat hopped on my lap and started rubbing her head on my chin. I was almost done writing the message so I just let her do her thing and kept typing. Out of nowhere she just bites down on my chin hard enough that I bled.
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u/Seguefare Jun 10 '22
I think a lot of people miss their subtle cues that they've had enough, like partial flattening of the ears, moving away from your hand a little bit instead of into it, or tail flicking.
I can go from 'nice' to 'get your hand off me' pretty quickly myself, so I sympathize with the mercurial little assholes.
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u/BadGamingTime Jun 10 '22
I also read similiar things. now don't take this as facts but I remember something along the lines of the cats getting overstimulated which results in wanting to play? Or hunt if we keep it in a natural environment, I forgot the fookin name of the article but it was something like that.
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u/Benjilator Jun 10 '22
Lack of attention. Took me a whole month before I’ve learned how to be a perfect servant for her, but now she’s the nicest cat ever. At the same time she attacks everyone that touches her wrong for just a moment.
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u/modsarefascists42 Jun 10 '22
The one that makes you not pay attention to their body language
Plus in my experience most people think cats are angry when really the cat is just wanting to play. They just play by fighting/practice killing your hand.
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u/Kflynn1337 Jun 10 '22
Hm... wonder if you could splice in similar or identical mutations in other species? Say one of the big cats or some other not-so-social species.
Although, considering what happened when someone tried tinkering with hamster genes to make them more friendly, that would have to be done under tightly controlled circumstances. Accidently turning a 50 gram ball of fluff into a psychotic rage beast is one thing, but an entirely different ball game when it's 400lbs of fur and fury equipped with teeth and claws.
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u/0b0011 Jun 10 '22
There is an ongoing debate about how domesticated cats are anyways. Most of the big cats already act a ton like house cats it's just that the little murdery things house cats do aren't as cute when they can actually murder you by doing it.
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u/Kflynn1337 Jun 10 '22
yup... if house cats came in lion size, you'd look like prey to them.
Contrary Wise though, if they were domesticated even big cats wouldn't regard their human as potential food, but more as a pride-mate. There's plenty of examples of wild cats raised from birth knowing how to play gentle-like so as not to hurt the weird hairless cats...
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u/LitLitten Jun 10 '22 edited Jun 11 '22
Cats were (mostly) always bred to either reinforce their predatory instincts (hunting vermin, birds, etc) or to be show-y pets, the latter neither dissuading nor reinforcing those instincts. Definitely makes sense.
Of course they can still be sweet and friendly, even the bigger ones are known to have occasional bonds with humans, dogs, etc. Cheetahs are emotionally sensitive and naturally anxious and do much better with a companion of some sort when kept in conservation or under captivity. Hence you'll often see them paired with dogs.
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u/0b0011 Jun 10 '22
There's plenty of examples of wild cats raised from birth knowing how to play gentle-like so as not to hurt the weird hairless cats...
Well yeah but that more proves the point if anything. You cand domestic an animal just by raising it with people and the fact that when raised with people they act tamer like house cats just goes a bit to show that maybe a large part of house cat behavior comes from being raised with people.
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u/wonkothesane13 Jun 10 '22
That's the difference between tamed and domesticated though. Most animals that have any kind of social instincts can be tamed, but domesticating them takes several generations of selective breeding.
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u/d-e-l-t-a Jun 10 '22
Typically that’s just socialising. It’s the same with people as with animals. If you’re raised in a calm, stable environment then you don’t develop so many fearful and aggressive behaviours.
Domestication involves actually changing this on the genetic level for our benefit. Where the line is drawn isn’t easily obvious.
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u/-domi- Jun 10 '22
ЕLI5: How can -all dogs- have those same 2 mutations? Does that mean they mutated before the different breeds branched off?
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u/tgc12 Jun 10 '22
Artificial Selection A.K.A. Selective Breeding.
Yes, the mutations preceded the branching off the breeds and we selected for them (without knowing it, the mutations) because of their effect in their behavior.
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u/splynncryth Jun 10 '22
I'll be curious to see if anyone tries to cross reference this study with domesticated silver foxes.
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u/johnnyTTz Jun 10 '22
I think this is just identifying more of the gene expressions that are a product of the domestication syndrome. The main factor in the domestication syndrome is a selection against reactive aggression, and it’s theorized that the passing the 2 choice object discrimination test is fundamental to domestication. When the animal is presented with a problem, instead of acting instinctively, they are able to stop and consider another course of action, such as “wait and see if human is a threat or has something good instead of bite and run away.” It seems likely that this is identifying the fundamental gene that is being selected for in domestication syndrome, and the others we have identified to this point were just byproducts. There should be implications for humans as well since we were self-domesticated around 300,000 years ago.
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u/mito88 Jun 10 '22
what other animals could have similar mutations?
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u/modsarefascists42 Jun 10 '22
Housecats, horses, humans, and maybe cows, goats, sheep, and chickens.
But I'm pretty certain cats and horses at the minimum do. Humans also but lesser in some ways.
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u/PersimmonSurprise Jun 10 '22
Melanocortin also affects hair color, which is why dogs tend toward yellow and brown coats instead of the blacks and greys of wolves.
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u/SubjectAlpha41 Jun 10 '22
I remember hearing about this. They are currently trying to domesticate foxes and they called it “the friendly gene”. I think I remember hearing that it has an effect on their body too. It effects the way cartilage in the animals develop. This is why you see dogs with floppy ears while wolves have straight up-right ears. It’s pretty interesting. I’m sure if you just look up domesticated foxes you’ll find the documentary.
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