The worst motorists now have an excuse to justify their conduct. American researchers at the University of California have found a gene common to bad drivers.
The study, by Dr. Steven Cramer and his team, is published in the scientific journal Cerebral Cortex. These scientists have shown that the drivers carrying the mutated form of a particular gene are less efficient during a test of conduct that those in which the DNA sequence was different.
In other words, our driving could be dependent on our hereditary heritage. To reach these conclusions, researchers studied the behavior of 29 people, seven of whom possess the mutated gene, and asked them twice to drive fifteen tours of a circuit on a simulator. Result: the seven persons possessing the mutated gene made 20% more errors than the others.
This gene restricts the availability of a protein called BDNF which plays an important role in memory, promoting communication between neurons. When a person is facing a given test, the protein BDNF is discharged into the area of the brain linked to this activity in order to help the body to react adequately. According to Dr. Steven Cramer, almost 30% of Americans are today carrying the mutated gene.
This new knowledge may serve to guide the development and deployent of driver assistance systems.
