In The Search Of The Gay Gene

Researches in Chicago are on a mission: to find the gay gene. A new federally-funded study led by  Dr. Alan Sanders will be carried out to gather further information about any possible genetic involvement that influences a person’s sexual orientation.

Dr. Alan Sanders of Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute, the lead researcher of the new study, said he suspects there isn’t one so-called “gay gene.”

It is more likely there are several genes that interact with nongenetic factors, including psychological and social influences, to determine sexual orientation, said Sanders, a psychiatrist.

Still, he said, “If there’s one gene that makes a sizable contribution, we have a pretty good chance” of finding it.

Unfortunately results aren’t expected until next year and sceptics are already attacking the methods disputing the presumed results. Although there have been previous studies showing that sexual orientation tends to cluster in families but doesn’t necessarily mean that genes are somehow involved.

Anyway, the outcome of this study is highly anticipated.

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