‘Divorce could be in your genes’

How DNA could play a big part in how much people argue :

US: If a relationship is filled with rows or a marriage comes to an end, men may wonder what went wrong.

But scientists say the answer could lie in a woman’s genes.

For the first time, they have identified a female ‘divorce gene’ that can predict a rocky marriage and identify women who may struggle to commit to their partner.

Women who inherit the variation of a common gene are less likely to get married in the first place as they find it harder to bond with other people.

But if they do marry, they are 50 per cent more likely to report a troubled relationship filled with marital strife. Perhaps unsurprisingly, partners of women with the gene are also more likely to report being unhappy.

Scientists believe the gene affects how women process the ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin, which is known to promote feelings of love and maternal affection.

Women produce oxytocin naturally, but particularly during childbirth and while breastfeeding. It helps them bond with their baby.

But if women cannot process oxytocin properly, they may not be able to bond normally with other people – including their partners, friends and children. It may even be linked to autism, the researchers say.

Daily Mail