Psychology 1100E Chapter Notes - Chapter 3.1: Human Genome Project, Zygosity, Heredity

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1100E
• Professor: Irene Cheung

Document Summary

Genes the basic units of heredity; responsible for guiding the process of creating the proteins that make up our physical structures and regulate development and physiological processes. If some genes fail to be activated (expressed) properly, people are at greater risk for developing brain- related disorders: ex. Children with autism have less gene expression in regions of the brain. This decrease was linked to problems with language, decision making, and understanding emotions. Epigenetics the study of changes in gene expression that occur as a result of experience and that do not alter the genetic code. Studies with mice showed that increased maternal attention led to an increase in the expression of the. Two versions of the gene short and long two short copies leads to greater risk of depression, two long copies leads to lower risk. One copy of each are heterozygous and show immediate responses to stressful events. Gene-environment interaction becomes apparent after an accumulation of events.