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Freckles have been a source of admiration, envy, and curiosity for many generations. But how do they form? Why do some people have freckles on their faces and others do not? Along with sun exposure, your genes also play a role in the development of freckles.
Freckles are small brownish dot-like structures seen on sun-exposed areas (mainly the face) in some people.
During sun exposure, a type of skin cell called melanocytes produces a pigment called melanin. Melanin produces hair, eye, and skin pigmentation.
If the melanocytes produce melanin evenly, you get a tan when you’re in the sun. But in some people, more pigment is produced in some areas than others, which results in freckles.
Certain genes regulate the function of melanocytes. Thus, these genes also play an important role in skin pigmentation. Any changes in these genes can put a person at a higher risk for freckles, sun spots, and tanning.
For example, a gene called MC1R produces the receptor for the melanocyte-stimulating hormone, one of the two hormones that regulate pigmentation.
Certain changes in MC1R results in lower stimulation of pheomelanin (the lighter pigment). This results in the overproduction of eumelanin (the darker pigment) in certain areas, leading to freckles.
The MC1R gene also influences the chances of someone having red-coloured hair. In some people, the production of eumelanin is much lower compared to pheomelanin. This results in light-coloured hair.
At Xcode Life, we are committed to providing you with accurate, reliable, and high-quality genetic reports. To maintain this standard of excellence, we continuously review and update our products and services.
We would like to inform our valued customers that we have temporarily suspended the sale of our Carrier Status and Pro Athlete Reports. This decision has been made to carry out a comprehensive technical review and quality check, ensuring that our reports meet the highest industry standards.
As part of our commitment to excellence, our expert team is currently conducting an in-depth analysis of the Carrier Status and Pro Athlete Reports. This review will include:
Please note that, during this period, the Carrier Status and Pro Athlete Reports will also be excluded from our mega and premium report packs. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and assure you that we are working diligently to bring back these reports as soon as possible.
We understand the importance of timely and accurate genetic information, which is why our team is working diligently to complete the review process. We expect the Carrier Status and Pro Athlete Reports to be back on sale and included in our combo report packs within the next few weeks.
In the meantime, our other genetic reports and services remain available for purchase. We encourage you to explore our extensive range of products designed to help you better understand your genetics and optimize your health.
To stay updated on the progress of our Carrier Status and Pro Athlete Reports review and be the first to know when they are available again, we invite you to sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media. We will also be posting regular updates on our website.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. We are always here to help.
Sincerely,
The Xcode Life Team
In recent years, DNA ancestry test has become increasingly popular in India. With the increasing availability and accessibility to DNA testing, genetic genealogy has become a topic of growing interest. Knowing one's ancestry can help people better understand their heritage, gain valuable insights into history, and connect with distant relatives. It is a powerful tool for discovering one's identity. From celebrities to everyday citizens, many are investing in tests to find out their ethnicity and where their ancestors lived centuries ago. In recent years, Indian companies have started providing DNA ancestry tests to individuals interested in exploring their genes and uncovering their origins.
Have you ever been curious about who your ancestors were or where they first existed?
Or which parts of the world did they travel through for better livelihoods?
An ancestry DNA test provides clues into the journey our ancestors had taken thousands and even centuries of years ago.
Patterns of genetic variations in your DNA are the key to identifying the ancestry components.
As we know, we get our DNA from our b parents.
The human genome has 23 pairs of chromosomes, in which each of the pairs is from your father and mother.
Certain portions of this genome are conserved (or retained) by specific ancestral populations and are passed from one generation to the next.
Identifying these conserved regions is key to determining a person’s ancestry.
Additionally, there is mitochondrial DNA that a person inherits from their mother.
̃The mitochondrial DNA tells you the story of your maternal lineage, tracing back several thousands of years.
If you are a male, you have a Y chromosome inherited from your father.
Chromosome Y traces back your paternal lineage.
Xcode Life’s ancestry report covers various aspects of ancestry:
The global ancestry prediction maps you to specific global populations.
The global ancestry report comes with a map highlighting your different ancestries.
It also includes a table indicating your ancestry percentages.
A haplogroup is a group of people who share a common ancestry genetically, either on the maternal or the paternal side.
Some haplogroups belong to well-known ancestral lines like the Vikings and the Celts.
A group of individuals belonging to the same haplogroup can trace their roots back to a common ancestor.
Maternal Haplogroup
The maternal haplogroup is assigned based on a type of DNA called mitochondrial DNA, which you inherit only from your mother.
Your maternal haplogroup is the same as every other family member on your mom's side - your mother, brother, sister, aunt, and grandmother.
The report indicates your maternal haplogroup, along with some information about its origin and distribution.
Paternal Haplogroup
Also called the Y-chromosome haplogroup, the paternal haplogroup gets passed on from the fathers to sons.
Around 95% of the Y chromosome remains unchanged across generations.
This is used to find your paternal haplogroup.
If you are a female customer and would like to know your paternal haplogroup, you can have one of your male relatives take the test.
The Indian ancestry report maps your similarity to various groups in the Indian population.
The Indian populations currently included in the report are
This section also includes an Indian ancestry map and a pie chart indicating your Indian ancestry components.
The ancestry report also includes an archaic human content section.
This section provides fascinating insights into how much percentage of your DNA matches that of the archaic humans, the Neanderthals, and Denisovans.
Your results include the number and percentage of Neanderthal genetic variants you carry, along with the average number of Neanderthal variants found in the South Asian population for comparison purposes.
The same information is also provided for your Denisovans results.
DNA Ancestry testing in India can cost anywhere between Rs. 13,000 to Rs. 25,000.
The cost can vary depending on the following:
Xcode Life offers the most affordable and precise DNA ancestry test on the market.
Learn more: https://www.xcode.in/ancestry/
Some companies offering Ancestry DNA tests are
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/ancestrytesting/
https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mitochondrial-DNA
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/haplogroup
Your genes encode drug-metabolizing enzymes, drug targets, and other proteins related to the action of drugs. Each individual has a unique genetic makeup. Hence, they might respond differently to certain medications.
The Personalized Medicine Report profiles gene variants influencing your metabolic response to various drug therapies. The results of this report can be used as a supplement to the clinical decision-making process and reduce the cost and time associated with a trial-and-error treatment.
The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation report provides information about the common polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene, which are associated with increased homocysteine levels in the blood.
There are two important MTHFR SNPs, rs1801133 (C677T) and rs1801131 (A1298C), associated with the MTHFR enzyme activity. These variations affect approximately 1 in 4 people significantly and about 1 in 2 people mildly.
The Catechol-O-MethylTransferase gene (COMT gene) provides instructions for producing the Catechol-O-methyltransferase enzyme (COMT enzyme).
This has become a gene of interest because of its ability to affect people’s thinking, emotions, and behavior.
Changes in the COMT gene have been associated with anxiety, aggression, and other psychopathological behaviors.
The COMT gene produces two versions of the COMT enzyme.
The membrane-bound COMT (MB-COMT) is produced by the brain’s nerve cells, which is the longer version.
The shorter version, called the soluble catechol-O-methyltransferase (S-COMT), is produced by different tissues in the body like the kidneys and liver and also by the blood.
In the brain, the MB-COMT helps in breaking down catecholamines.
Catecholamines are neurotransmitters with a single amino group, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
This enzyme is especially important in breaking down neurotransmitters in the brain's prefrontal cortex.
The prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain associated with cognitive functions, including thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, and impulse control.
Changes in the COMT gene can lead to abnormal levels of COMT enzyme in the brain.
This can increase or decrease neurotransmitter levels, leading to different personality disorders and an increased risk of developing certain health conditions.
Below are some of the health conditions associated with COMT gene changes.
A 2013 study analyzed the relationship between COMT gene changes (polymorphism) and the risk of Parkinson’s Disease. It reported that Asians with the AA homozygote of the Val158Met polymorphism of this gene might have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s.
Another 2013 study also analyzes the effect of Val158Met polymorphism of COMT on schizophrenia. Accordingly, people with this polymorphism may have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia because of structural changes in the prefrontal cortex.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes overall muscle pain, mood changes, sleep disorders, and fatigue. According to a 2013 study, people with fibromyalgia had lower COMT enzyme activity than those without the condition. The study concludes that the Val158Met SNP of this gene may be associated with pain sensitivity in these patients.
People with COMT gene changes may be at a higher risk of developing specific personality traits mentioned below.
Slow COMT activity may lead to higher levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, and this can cause mood changes, irritability, anger, anxiety, and other mental disorders.
Below are nutrients that support balanced COMT activity in the body.
Some flavonoids like EGCG, quercetin, fisetin, and oleoresin need COMT to be processed in the body.
Therefore, excess consumption of foods rich in these flavonoids may decrease COMT activity.
Some people may have slower COMT activity than others.
Genetic testing can help understand how a person’s COMT gene functions and changes in it, if any.
This may help recognize COMT activity levels and plan nutritional changes to supplement it.
Besides a good diet, nutritional supplements can also help balance these levels and improve COMT activity in the brain.
Talk to your doctor to know what supplements may work for you.
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/comt/
https://www.nature.com/articles/1300787
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345409/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00148/full
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders worldwide.
Thankfully, it is now possible to handle major depressive disorder and its related symptoms with medications and therapy.
The medications prescribed for treating depression are called antidepressants.
There are different classes of antidepressants available, depending on the drug composition and what they do to the body.
While some people get better from the first day of using antidepressants, others are not so lucky.
They may have to keep trying combinations of medicines before identifying ones that work well.
It may take several months, even years, at times, to narrow down on drugs that work for the person.
Why do antidepressants that work for some have no effect on others?
Genetic makeup could be an important reason why.
According to experts, a person’s genes can influence their response to treatment.
Specific genes may change how a drug is metabolized in the body and, as a result, increase or decrease its effectiveness.
In other words, your genes influence the type and exact dosage of antidepressants you may need to feel better.
Your genes may also influence the risk of side effects from these drugs.
Genetic testing studies your genes and their functions to know how they work and identifies changes/mutations in your DNA, if any.
Pharmacogenomics is the process of testing your genes to understand the body’s response to drugs.
Pharmacogenomics is one of the growing branches of science that is of extreme interest globally.
Some of the popular antidepressants include:
SSRIs are popular as they are better tolerated and have milder side effects. SSRIs also have relatively lesser adverse interactions with other drugs and work by increasing serotonin activity in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is associated with mood regulation and better sleep.
The functioning of this drug is very similar to SSRI, except that this drug acts upon two neurotransmitters - serotonin and noradrenaline. Noradrenaline triggers the fight-flight response in the body.
NASSAs are prescribed if a person doesn’t react well to SSRIs and SNRIs. NASSAs may not cause sexual problems, a common side effect of the above two medications.
TCAs were one of the first antidepressants introduced. These are not very commonly prescribed now because their overdose can turn fatal. In rare cases, people who don’t react to other antidepressants may be prescribed TCAs.
SARIs are also rarely used as primary treatments for depression. They are only prescribed in case other medications don’t work or in case of severe depressive disorder needing a combination of medicines. This drug is effective in treating insomnia and anxiety that are associated with depression.
MAOIs primarily work by preventing the monoamine oxidase enzymes from breaking down neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. By doing this, the levels of these neurotransmitters increase in the brain, leading to a better mood.
MAOIs may lead to severe side effects and are only prescribed if none of the other antidepressants work.
Image: How Do Antidepressants Work
All antidepressants come with side effects. The effect can be mild or severe, depending upon the dosage, the period of use, and the individual’s response to the drug. Some of the side effects common to all these types of antidepressants are:
Without knowing for sure how the person’s body reacts to different antidepressants, the patient may have to waste time trying different combinations of medicines and dealing with their side effects.
Genetic testing may offer insight into what medications could work and reduce the trial-and-error period.
Genetic changes (mutations) cause genes to work differently in every individual, and these changes could do one or more of the following.
Some of the popular genes that could cause these changes are CYP2D6, CYP2C19, SLC6A4, HTR2A, and ABCB1.
While genetic testing can bring about better clarity in using the right drugs, please remember that the field is still growing.
This means that pharmacogenomic testing may not be available for all antidepressants.
Also, apart from genes, other factors could influence your response to a drug, including your age, lifestyle, medications, and health conditions.
According to studies, it may be beneficial to opt for genetic testing when a person has shown low tolerance or has been non-responsive to at least one pharmacological treatment.
Your doctor would be able to help you decide on this.
