Posted on 08/10/2006 1:51:50 AM PDT by Marius3188
MAORIS carry a "warrior" gene that makes them more prone to violence, criminal acts and risky behaviour, a scientist has controversially claimed.
Dr Rod Lea, a New Zealand researcher, and his colleagues told an Australian genetics conference that Maori men had a "striking over-representation" of monoamine oxidase - dubbed the warrior gene - which they say is strongly associated with aggressive behaviour.
He says the unpublished studies prove that Maoris have the highest prevalence of this strength gene, first discovered by US researchers but never linked to an ethnic group.
This explains how Maoris migrated across the Pacific and survived, said Dr Lea, a genetic epidemiologist at the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research.
But he said the presence of the gene also "goes a long way to explaining some of the problems Maoris have".
"Obviously, this means they are going to be more aggressive and violent and more likely to get involved in risk-taking behaviour like gambling," Dr Lea said before his presentation to the International Congress of Human Genetics in Brisbane.
Dr Lea said he believed other, non-genetic factors might also be at play. "There are lots of lifestyle, upbringing-related exposures that could be relevant here, so obviously the gene won't automatically make you a criminal."
The same gene was linked to high rates of alcoholism and smoking. "In terms of alcohol-metabolising genes we've found that Maori have a very unique genetic signature," Dr Lea said.
"That influences their drinking behaviour, so they're much more likely to binge drink than other groups "
The researchers are now collecting thousands of DNA samples from Maoris to investigate these traits.
They can then work out precisely what role each gene plays and use this to explore these trends in the mainstream populations.
"With Maori it's easier to find the genes than it is in the broader Caucasian population so it's a great case study," Dr Lea said.
AAP
send these Maori to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan
Maybe they will eat their hearts !
(i hope i hope i hope...)
A gene that has never existed in France.
The Dodgeball gene!
Possibly found in certain Huron as well.
Jake the Mus after a few shots.
A bit more info here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10395491
Gotta' wade thru a bit of PC clutter to get to the info.
Indeed! Magua was pretty frightening.
The Maori are in OEF and OIF. Most NZ units have Maori troopers, especially NZ SAS.
And the American Indian is (as always) well represented in US forces, especially Spec Ops.
Amerinds may be the most clear thinking Americans. "You attack the People. We come after you." They honor the warrior.
"You attack the People. We come after you."
I love it , thank you !
. . . unfortunately we also have the gene for alcoholism . . . but I guess that's so we wouldn't conquer the world.
The last family reunion I went to was sort of a drag. We all got too drunk to fight.
Irish Alzheimer's . . . you only remember the grudges.
The Kaminoans would agree.
Ditto
Monoamine oxidase isn't a "gene", it's an enzyme.
Is it the reporter, or the scientist, who is scientifically illiterate?? I suspect the former.
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