單身怨誰？科學家稱都是基因惹的禍

If it seems you are permanently single while everyone else around you is in a relationship, blame your DNA。

　　如果你發現身邊的人都成雙成對而就你是長時間的單身狗，那麼都是你的DNA惹的禍。

　　Scientists have identified a 『singleton gene』, and found that those who have it are 20 per cent more likely to be single than others。

　　科學家們發現了一種「單身基因」並發現，帶有這種基因的人比其他人單身的幾率高20%。

　　It is thought that by lowering levels of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, the gene makes people less comfortable in close relationships。

　　研究發現基因控制大腦中使人感覺良好的血清素分泌下降，使得人們在親密的關係中變得拘謹。

　　This could make it harder to form them in the first place - or lead to break-up after break-up。

　　這使得他們最初就不太容易開始一段感情——或者在分手之後再經歷分手。

　　The scientists from Peking University in Beijing tested hair samples from almost 600 Chinese university students to analyse a gene called 5-HTA1, which comes in two different versions。

　　北京大學[微博]的科學家從600名中國大學生的頭髮樣本中分析了這種名為5-HTA1的基因，發現基因有兩種不同的版本。

　　Those with the 『G』 version were much more likely to be single than those with the 『C』 version.

　　「G」基因的人比「C」基因的人更容易獨身。

　　Some 60 per cent were not in a relationship - compared to 50 per cent of those in the c group.

　　C基因組裡只有50%的人單身，但是G組裡有60%。

　　Importantly, the link couldn』t be explained by other factors that influence relationships, including appearance and wealth。

　　重要的是，這種關聯不能以其他影響人際關係的因素，比如外貌和財富來解釋。

　　The key to the findings seems to be the role of the 5-HTA1 gene in the brain。

　　核心研究表明是大腦中的5-HTA1基因在作怪。

　　Those with the 『G』, or singleton, version make less serotonin, a brain chemical involved in mood and happiness。

　　那些帶有G基因，或者說獨身基因版本的分泌的血清素較少，這種血清素是大腦中分泌的控制情緒和幸福感的化學物質。

　　It was already known that people with the 『G』 allele, or version, find it more difficult to get close to others。

　　研究已經表明了帶有G等位基因的人更不容易和人親近。

　　Plus, they are more likely to be neurotic and to suffer from depression。

　　而且，他們更有可能變成神經病患者而且患上抑鬱症。

　　Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers said: 『As pessimism and neuroticism are detrimental to the formation, quality and stability of relationships, this connection between the G allele and psychological disorders might decrease carriers』 dating opportunities or lead to romantic relationship failure.』

　　《科學報告》雜誌提到，研究者們說：「因為悲觀主義和神經質對於人際交往的構成、質量和穩定性有害，G等位基因和心理失調的聯繫可能會減少攜帶者約會的機率或者導致交往失敗。」

　　The researchers said that students may have more free time and freedom to form relationships than others。

　　研究者們提到，學生比其他人更有時間和經歷去搭建人際交往關係。

　　And at other times of life, other factors, such as pressure from parents to marry, may be much more influential。

　　而在人生中的其他階段，其餘的比如父母要求結婚的壓力因素，則更有影響力一些。

　　Despite this, they concluded that their study provides 『evidence for genetic contribution to social relationships in certain contexts』。

　　另外，他們總結道這項研究為「基因影響社交」提供了證據。

　　Other scientists said that while genes will inevitably influence relationships, their role in most cases will be small。

　　而另一些科學家認為，雖然基因不可避免的對人際交往產生影響，他們的作用在大多數案例中發揮的幾率很小。

　　Dr Pam Spurr, a relationship expert, said that we don』t have to let our genes rule our lives。

　　人際關係專家帕姆·斯博爾博士說道：我們不要讓基因控制我們的生活。

　　She said: 『I know that our genetic heritage determines some of our behaviour but we always have choice。

　　她說：「我知道我們的基因傳統決定我們的一些生活習慣，但是我們總是有選擇的。

　　『If someone』s difficulties with dating are flagged up to them, I believe they can learn to interact in a way that will make them more successful in meeting somebody。

　　「如果有人將約會不順歸咎於此，我相信他們可以學著和人互動從而在交往上變得更順利。

　　『I feel quite optimistic about that.』

　　「我對此很樂觀。」

　　Professor Tim Spector, an expert in the role of genes from King』s College London, questioned how strong the research was。
倫敦國王學院的基因教授蒂姆·斯佩克特對這項研究的可信度打了個問號。

　　However, studies show that our odds of getting married and staying married and our number of sexual partners are all influenced by our DNA。

　　然而，研究表明我們結婚的幾率，維持婚姻的幾率和擁有性伴侶的數量都受DNA影響。

　　Despite this, genes are not the be all and end all. Simple evidence for this comes from looking at identical twins。

　　雖說如此，基因也不是全部。簡單的例子就是看看那些同卵雙胞胎。

　　They are usually attracted to the same type of person initially, but end up settling down with very different mates。

　　他們一開始都會被同一類型的人吸引，但是最後都和截然不同的伴侶結了婚。