Study: Altruism is in our genes

Health[1] Health[1]Biology [2]Body [3]Life [4]Twins [5]Denmark [6]Videnskab.dk [7] Choosing to be a blood donor is hereditary, shows new research. Reveals bigger truth about altruism. A new study has found a connection between altruistic actions and the composition of our genes. "If you are a blood donor, then you are also altruistic, that is to say that you are charitable,” says Ole Birger Pedersen, consultant and associate professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Næstved Hospital, Denmark. “What we’ve found is that the likelihood of performing such an altruistic act is in some part genetically determined—as much as 50 per cent,” he says. “It’s a bit controversial, as it means being a good person to other people is hereditary," says Pedersen. Pedersen and colleagues compared more than 700 identical and non-identical twins in blood donor registers. They discovered that identical twins are twice as likely to donate blood that non-identical twins. According to Pedersen, identical twins are so similar that they both have a desire to donate their blood, and that this is down to genetics.