week 1

While reading the article identity dance one page stood out to me the most. In bold letters it reads "Genetics couldn't explain why some people bounce back from terrible trauma that shatters others, or why some people are ruthlessly ambitious and others laid back." I was drawn to theses words because I have been wondering the same thing for quite some time. Someone very close to me suffered a traumatic childhood filled with physical and mental abuse. I find it interesting that siblings that grew up in the same family sharing equally traumatic  experiences can have such different outcomes. It seems they all are still affected by thier past but a few more severely than others.  Sharing the same genes one would think all involved would be genetically and mentally equipped to handle situations similarly, but unfortunately that is not the case.
        Everyone is set up a specific way genetically to react and deal with life's ups and downs? This is one thing I would like to learn more about while taking this course. According to this article people that have a the short transporter gene are more likely to become depressed after experiencing a series of  stressful events. Statistics have proven fourty-three percent of people who carried the short gene who experienced four or more tumultuous events became clinically depressed. Those with the short gene that did not have stressful events became depressed at the average rate of the general population.   While those with the long gene that were subject to four or more traumatic events have a seventeen percent chance of depression.  One theory says that genes have "switches" that can be turned on and of like a light switch. If that is the case, then wouldn't the number of people with depression be dwindling?