Scientists reveal there’s a ‘cheating gene’

We all know the saying once a cheater, always a cheater – but what if the urge to stray was all in your genes?

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Scientists have done some research and found there’s actually one gene in particular that influences infidelity – and it affects men and women very differently.

The study by the University of Queensland looked at 7,400 sets of identical and non-identical Finnish twins in long term relationships, and examined their rates of cheating.

Of the couples, 9.8 percent of men and 6.4 percent of women reported multiple partners in the previous year.

However upon further investigation, researchers found “tentative evidence for a specific gene influencing infidelity in women”.

That gene is the vasopressin receptor gene, which is linked to social behaviour and sexual bonding.

While it’s been reported the gene doesn’t appear to affect men’s promiscuity, the study looked to the behaviour of voles to determine whether women who have a mutated receptor of this gene were more likely to cheat.

“A substantial body of work on monogamous and non-monogamous species of voles implicates these hormones and their receptor genes— arginine vasopressin receptor 1A gene (AVPR1A) and oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR),” the research revealed.

“Most relevantly, variation in social pair-bonding behaviour in human couples (e.g. marital stability and affiliative behaviour) has been associated with variation in both AVPR1A and OXTR.”

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