Neuroscientist dick of Swaab— Political views, choice in love and faith in God is written in our genes

DIC Swaab is a Dutch neuroscientist. From 1978 to 2005 he headed the Netherlands Institute of brain, in 1985 he founded the Netherlands brain Bank, which conducts research studies of brain diseases. Now Professor specializiruetsya on the study of Alzheimer's disease (senile dementia). In 2011 he published a book Swaab "We are our brains. From the womb to Alzheimer's", which was translated into many languages and became an international bestseller.

— Dr. Swaab, in your book you claim that the brain depends on everything: our identity, health, and political views. Moreover, the basis of all this is laid at the very beginning of brain development in the womb. How is this happening?

— Let's start with political views. You may be surprised, but studies show that 78 to 82% determined by genetics, that is, the set of genes which come from our parents by inheritance. It is seen that the beliefs of a child often are the same as the mother and father. Was still experimenting on twins: they were separated, they lived in different conditions and environment, but later it turned out that political views are very close.

— Want to say that political preferences can be inherited?

— Yes, it is. But other factors of course affected to a lesser degree. For example, marital status. Studies show that single women are more liberal, and married — more conservative. Hormones also affect: during ovulation (when the egg is ready for fertilization) girls are more likely to vote for the liberals.

— They say that young people are more liberal, and inclined to conservatism.

— Yes, there is a saying: if you're not a liberal in youth you have no heart, but if you liberal in your old age, then you have no brain (laughs). The truth in this.

— So, the commitment to liberal views has more to do with unconscious decisions, which is peculiar to youth, and conservatism people choose more deliberately and rationally?

Good idea, need to think.

— What is love from the point of view of the brain? How is it caused?

— Oh, it is a complex system. It includes love, sexual desire, long-term attachment and procreation. Moreover, all can be found individually, depending on the circumstances. The main stage of love — the choice of a partner. Whatever invented civilization, all determined by the desire to reproduce. And the most striking, exciting is that your choice makes our brain subconsciously. But this does not mean that when a person falls in love, has not been decided. It is.

— People often say that love at first sight — how the brain manages so quickly to make a decision?

For those moments when love is born, the brain at the subconscious level time to receive and analyze the signals to make a decision, even without attaching to this the consciousness of man. By the way, psychological studies show that most major decisions are made more properly when it is done intuitively, unconsciously, than after a long analysis. For example, when you buy a home, you can create a list of advantages and disadvantages, but this does not mean that it will be possible to correctly determine the priority of one or the other. And the brain makes this calculation subconsciously much more effectively.

— That is in life to make decisions intuitively is generally better than after a long deliberation?

— I think so. Even Freud said that, if he should not take a very important decision, it takes days. But if that fateful decision, it is accepted immediately. This is confirmed by modern scientific data. From our experience we can cite the example of chess players: the leading grandmasters are unable to compete with the computer in terms of calculations of the composition, but they make decisions intuitively, and it allows you to beat the electronic machines. Although, it should be borne in mind that the professional intuition based on wide experience. Another example is, doctors: often an experienced physician determines the diagnosis, as soon as I saw the patient.

— Still, why is there attraction between two specific people? What are biting our brain?

— First- facial symmetry with the opposite sex. It reflects good heredity that can be passed to descendants. Also the brain responds to male traits that indicate a high level of the female hormone estrogen: plump lips, Breasts, hips.



"But attractive people a lot, and we fall in love seriously and for a long time in a single.

— Every brain is different, therefore, selects a combination of attractive factors.

— Some scientists believe that peering into the man's face, we unconsciously feel the genotype variants of its genes and assess their suitability for successful reproduction. That is, it appears, the brain calculates the combinations of our genes with the future lover and decides whether the game is worth the candle?

— A full research on this topic, in my opinion, have not been, but it is likely so.

— You write in the book that culture and language impact on the brain development. Let's look at Russia. On the one hand, it gave the world many talented writers, composers, and artists. But on the other hand, the Russians have known issues such as laziness, propensity to abuse alcohol. All these traits emerged through Slavic culture, or they are built into us genetically?

— In Russia there was a mixture of peoples. So I would divide: there are great scientists, poets and musicians, and there are those who are lazy and drink. At the same studies show, for example, that Eastern and Western peoples of different versions of the neurotransmitters (proteins that transmit signals between nerve cells. Because of this, Western people are more selfish, independent, self-confident. But Eastern people are more generous, self-sacrificing, prone to collectivism.

And language itself plays a role?

— Language — stimulant brain development. There is evidence that if a child knows two languages, the future had at least 5 years delayed the development of Alzheimer's disease, i.e. senile dementia.

— Maybe there are some of the most useful languages? Chinese, for example, surely the brain is stronger than other trains — there are so many characters.

— A useful effect of the study of languages found in different parts of the world, so some of the languages I hardly would began to select. But if you will be able to master Chinese as a second language, then it certainly will be a big advantage, " laughs the Professor.

- I'm afraid not master. Advise, what else helps to keep the brain in good shape and slow it down aging?

It is very important a good education is also prevention of Alzheimer's. And yet, your job. The brain develops much better if it is not routine, and when you are faced with new challenges, mastering previously unfamiliar skills to solve unexpected problems. This, incidentally, applies to other occupations, Hobbies — try to constantly learn something new. Here's the main tip: if you want to live longer in a clear mind and memory, your whole life must be a school.

— What about sports? Those who are too lazy to go to the gym, probably will like your statement that physical education is of limited usefulness. However, many studies confirm that sports people are healthier and live longer.

— I do not deny it. Only think that confused cause and effect. In fact, there is no clear evidence that sport makes life healthier and longer. It is possible that people who are healthy from birth, are themselves apt to engage in physical exercise. That is, if you like movement, then you are inherently healthy. And not Vice versa: you have earned good health, because doing sports. On the other hand, if a person has a categorical dislike for physical education, it is likely that he has hidden, not yet discovered the disease.

But still the most useful thing intense exercise for the brain, I mentioned: the languages of education, acquiring new skills. People spend a lot of calories. If you look at halls where there are serious scientific conference, fatties among scientists barely see.



— What do you think, does God exist?

— The chances are so small that they can be neglected. All scientific experience of mankind shows that there is no God.

— Is there a human soul?

— You need to clearly distinguish between two concepts: consciousness and the soul. Consciousness is actually active, working brain. And the soul in the view of many people — is what remains after death. Some people believe that the soul is a substance, which weighs 21 grams (smiles). But really, all this mystery. We are not so important for nature and evolution to after our death from us, something left. Of course, no soul there.

But if there is no God, then why in different parts of the world independently from each other have any different religion?

— Religion gives man a number of advantages. Most importantly, it becomes part of the team. When people are not alone, you feel stronger and more secure, you can ask for help, including from above.

— That is, faith in God helps to live?

— On the one hand Yes, but on the other hand we must remember that religion is a lot of danger. For example, more than half of all wars were caused by religious differences.

— Why some people believe in God and others don't?

— Studies have shown that there are some changes in genes that increase the tendency to religion. But you also cannot deny the role of education, intellectual level. For example, in the United States are now believers from 80 to 90%, but among scientists such 39%, among academics 2%, and among Nobel prize winners in science in God, nobody believes. I would say the higher the IQ, the less religious people. Moreover, it is possible to predict that because in modern society people are becoming more educated, they are less religious and tend to believe in superstitions.

But if you remember recent history, for example, in the USSR, most were atheists, and now in Russia very many believers. How to explain it?

— In the Soviet Union, people since childhood, brought up in secular environment. And after the collapse of the USSR there was a lot of support faith, it became profitable and fashionable, we see the interpenetration of state and religion. And it plays a significant role. At the same time, still need to figure out whether it's true religiosity. A well-known example of China, where religion is under strict ban in the days of Mao Zedong, has become more accessible. People are more likely to perform religious rites, but it is not deep faith, and a superficial, formal adherence to the canons. So, the Chinese often go to Church only when their child goes to University — to ask for God's help in solving a purely utilitarian matter.

— And how do you explain the tunnel with the light at the end that people see during a near death experience?

— It's the lack of oxygen. The apparent death of his admission to the head deteriorates, the brain function that is responsible for the objective perception of the body in space. And then our brain starts to draw fantastic pictures: "soaring above the body", some tunnels, etc.

— Some see prophetic dreams.

— During sleep, for a person to surface individual frames of real life. Someone thinks that this is a transition into another reality or a vision of the future. In fact, during sleep, our brain simply sorts the information received from the senses during the day. A small part of "recorded" and remains in our memory, and all the rest of the brain-washes — like when cleaning your computer's hard disk. During this sorting before my eyes sleeping can flash those fragments of real life. So it is no mystery.

— For any society are very important moral norms. They are born under the influence of religion or is it the result of natural development in the course of evolution?

— On the basis of religious beliefs, moral principles given to mankind by God and recorded in the Bible. However, studies in monkeys showed that the same basic moral standards inherent in the community of primates. Monkeys have compassion, altruism, the taboo on incest. This means that these principles have existed for millions of years in our genes and in our brain. Everything the Church has done — it has fixed the norms prevailing in the process of evolution, not invented them.

Therefore, from a scientific point of view, moral rules must be respected not because it is written in the Bible, but because it is the best life strategy, confirmed by evolution.

QUESTION telemedicine IN the future will change our personality?

Over the past three million years brain volume in humans has increased in 3 times, says Dr. Swaab. This is needed in order to survive, solving problems of the environment. But our brains grew like a stock — it gave me the opportunity to spend resources on other things besides survival: art, science, creativity. These are the things that distinguish man from the animals.

At the same time, doctors have learned to transplant human organs and it is expected that soon it comes to transplant parts of the brain.

— The question arises: when transplanting a number of brain tissue, the person will need to have to take another name, the name of the donor? — reflects DIC Swaab. — For example, if the patient is amputated hand or leg, it will remain the same man. But if it will fix, replace the part of the brain in a certain proportion, then, in my opinion, it would fundamentally change the person. It will turn into another person.

source:nlo-mir

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