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Cheating genes play large role in female infidelity

By Clive Cookson, Science Editor

Published: November 25 2004 02:00 | Last updated: November 25 2004 02:00

Genes play an important role in determining whether women cheat on their sexual partners, according to one of the largest studies of sexual behaviour undertaken in Britain. About 40 per cent of infidelity is genetic and the remainder comes from upbringing and other environmental factors.

The Twin Research Unit at St Thomas's Hospital, London, carried out the study with 1,600 pairs of adult female twins, with an average age of 50, who completed a confidential questionnaire about their sexual history and attitudes. The scientists worked out the genetic component of infidelity and other traits by comparing the results for identical twins, all of whose genes are the same, with fraternal twins, who shared half their genes but grew up together.

"There has been a lot of research into promiscuity and sexual fidelity in animals but it has been taboo for serious research in humans," said Tim Spector, the unit's director. "Our study turned out to be one of the largest sexual surveys carried out in Britain."

On average the participants had had between four and five sexual partners, and 22 cent of them said they had been unfaithful to at least one of them. The findings were published yesterday in the journal Twin Research.

Heritability - a common scientific measure of the genetic contribution to a behavioural or physical trait - was 41 per cent for infidelity and 38 per cent for the number of partners.

Curiously, in other studies, Prof Spector and colleagues also found about 40 per cent heritability in "spirituality" or belief in God and in "disruptive snoring" while sleeping at night. The researchers did not try to correlate sexual behaviour with religion or snoring.

Prof Spector said a range of 50 to 100 genes were probably responsible for sexual behaviour. Genetic analysis of the twins suggested that genes on chromosomes 3, 7 and 20 might be involved but the association was not strong enough to identify any specific genes.

The "vasopressin" gene, which controls the sexual behaviour of some rodents, turned out not to be important in people.

Prof Spector believes the logical conclusion of the research is that infidelity and other sexual behaviours persist because they can be evolutionarily advantageous under some circumstances.

"Variation in behaviour is important for evolution," he said. "Many people are capable of infidelity but, if the environment is right, most will not be unfaithful."

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