Duke University researchers have found evidence that suggests trichotillomania, a disorder causing people to compulsively pull their hair, may be based in a genetic mutation.
In a study of 44 families in which one or more members suffered from the disorder, two mutations in SLITKR1, a gene already associated with Tourette's Syndrome, were connected with five percent of trichotillomania cases, a large enough association to suggest a biological link.
Researchers hope the findings will not only help to find a cure for the disease, but also to take the burden off the shoulders of sufferers blaming themselves for the behavior.
Read more: Compulsive Hair Pulling? Not Your Fault