Hair-Pulling Disorder Rooted in Genetics
|
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 SHARE:
Posted In: Behavior and Conduct Disorders | Tags: Hair Pulling | Trichotillomania | Posted by FindCounseling.com Staff on September 28, 2006 at 06:22 AM | Permalink |
AboutThis page contains a single entry from Psychology Briefs, the FindCounseling.com Blog. The previous post was Attraction Based on 'Ease' of Mental Processing. The next post is Multitasking Easy Only When Stimuli Type Differ. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the Psychology Research Archives. Subscribe              ATOM RSS |
