Among those in leadership positions, there are many carriers of a certain variation of the CHRNB3 gene, British researchers have found. It appears to be related in some way to innate leadership qualities. However, there are works showing that heredity is not the main thing and completely different factors contribute to a high social status.
Born to rule
In 2013, researchers from University College London (UK) reported that they had found a piece of DNA that is responsible for a person's leadership qualities. It was a variant of the gene for the acetylcholine receptor CHRNB3. It is a receptor for neurotransmitters - substances that transmit nerve signals to the brain.
One type of CHRNB, rs4950, is more commonly found in the DNA of people in leadership positions. Scientists came to such conclusions by analyzing the genetic data of four thousand volunteers and information about their professional and personal life.
However, the contribution of the rs4950 variant to the formation of leadership qualities is estimated by scientists at 24 percent of the probability. The rest depends on other factors.
From omega to alpha
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As Chinese neurophysiologists have suggested, there may be a special zone in the cerebral cortex, the stimulation of which can turn the most insecure person into a leader. So far, it has only been found in mice.
Scientists pushed two adult males into a narrow passage and watched their reactions. As a rule, such situations ended in conflict, and one animal crowded out the other. But it wasn't just his physical strength. The behavior of rodents was influenced by past victories and defeats. Thus, mice behaved more aggressively if they were lucky in the course of preliminary experiments, or were overly cautious if they had previously lost in fights with alpha males.
The researchers hypothesized that information about these events is stored in the frontal cortex of the animal's brain. They infected mice with a retrovirus, which caused neurons to produce proteins, which in turn make nerve cells sensitive to light: when exposed to a blue laser, they turn on or off.
The mice modified in this way began to collide with each other again. And it turned out that if you activate these neurons in the brain "omegas", then animals begin to push even the strongest and obviously dangerous for them males. This increased the number of their victories and increased the social status of losers among their relatives.
Disabling a group of nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex of alpha males, on the other hand, made them too cautious. They retreated even in absolutely winning situations when the opponents were much weaker.
A similar area may be present in the human brain, the authors of the work note. Studying it would help to better understand the causes of some mental illness. After all, it is known that men who consider themselves macho and often demonstrate their power over women are prone to mental disorders.
Unhappy alpha males
Health problems are common in alpha males in many animal populations. And it's not just the increased risk of injury. As Kenyan and American biologists have found out, dominant males live in a state of constant severe stress. As a result, too many glucocorticoids, hormones that stimulate the body in times of danger, accumulate in their blood. In quiet times, the increased concentration of these substances negatively affects the functioning of the immune system.
Scientists have observed five flocks of baboons for nine years. They recorded the behavior of monkeys within communities and periodically measured the levels of testosterone and glucocorticoids in the excrement of males. It turned out that the concentration of stress hormones in the feces of the leaders is, on average, several times higher than in the excrement of their substitutes - the so-called beta males. These individuals provide support to the leader and, as a result, enjoy the same benefits as he does.
Moreover, the amount of glucocorticoids in the feces of the leaders was about the same as in the waste of the lowest-ranking males. It turned out that they experience the same level of stress, and in this sense, the position of the leader is no better than the status of "omega".
And it has already been shown that outsiders in primate communities are characterized by weaker immunity and are more likely to suffer from heart problems and endocrine system disorders. But as their position in the hierarchy rises, the monkeys begin to recover. As it turned out, exactly until they become leaders.
Alfiya Enikeeva