People who are bound by friendship are often carriers of the same genes. To this conclusion came a group of researchers from California and Harvard University in the United States.

"Friends can not only have similar character traits, but also have some similarities at the genotype level," says one of its leaders, James Fowler, an associate professor at the University of California.

Specialists were looking for certain genetic markers in people who are not related but who belong to the same social group. They analyzed data from previous studies on the health of American children and adolescents, and focused on some gene variations. Scientists in particular found that one of their chosen genes - DRD2, responsible for the propensity of its carriers to alcoholism, tends to be more often part of the genetic code of people who are on friendly terms. Those who do not have this marker are more willing to communicate with people who do not have it, according to the American television company CNN.

Thus, the specialists managed to establish that there is a certain connection between the tendency to unite in social groups, the genotype and the formation of special habits and inclinations.

"For example, the genotype responsible for susceptibility to alcohol can directly affect its carrier and encourage it to drink alcohol,. - At the same time, the influence can be indirect - a person can start drinking under the influence of friends-carriers of the same genotype ". Therefore, Fowler summarizes, "the health of an individual person depends not only on the individual set of genes, but also on the genes of other people".

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