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Genetic Testing for Traders

I”ll confess to being mostly skeptical about these quasi-deterministic genetic trait studies — circumstances generally matter so much more — but there is a new study claiming a genetic basis for some aspects of decision-making in risky situations.

Research published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B1 is a step towards a more nuanced understanding of how variants of the gene MAOA — which specifies an enzyme, monoamine oxidase-A, that breaks down neurotransmitters such as serotonin — affect financial decisions.

The gene variant MAOA-L is associated with lower production of the enzyme and has been repeatedly linked to risky behavior. Previous studies suggested that carriers of MAOA-L are more likely to lash out when provoked2, for example, or to be more prone to aggression when raised in high-stress environments3.

More here, including a summary of the research, which appears to have been the usual test of a sure versus a gamble for higher gains.