23andMe released a new batch of <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/">trait reports</a> that  look at whether your DNA indicates you might be tastier to mosquitoes than others, or why you can sing back a musical note or get the heebie-jeebies looking down from great heights, or even why your hair lightens in the sun.
Let&#8217;s take a closer look at each report:
<h6>Mosquito Bite Frequency </h6>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/mosquito-bites/"> A study</a> that 23andMe collaborated on with researchers at Pfizer Inc last year, showed that genetics plays a role in both the amount of swelling from a bite and how often a person gets bit. That study found 15 genetic variants — almost all on or near genes associated with the immune response — associated with both the intensity of the reaction to the bite and the frequency of bites.
23andMe’s new Mosquito Bite Frequency trait report goes far beyond those initial findings and uses more than 280 genetic variants associated with mosquito attractiveness to calculate its estimate. It turns out that female mosquitoes — it’s only the female mosquito that drinks our blood — have a good nose for prey.
Their complex olfactory system leads them to prefer some people’s scent to others. Indeed, data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research indicate that more than a third, 37.5 percent, report being bitten more often than others. A little more than a quarter, 27.5 percent, said they were bitten less frequently.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26391 size-large" title="Mosquite Bite Frequency" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-1002x1024.png" alt="" width="1002" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-1002x1024.png 1002w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-294x300.png 294w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-768x785.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-861x880.png 861w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-1155x1180.png 1155w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px" />
<h6>Hair Photobleaching </h6>
Beyond getting a few bug bites another rite of summer is getting a little sun, and for some that can also mean a slight change in the color of their hair. But getting a beach blonde hairdo is a bit more complicated than you’d imagine with dozens of genetic variants influencing whether the sun will lighten your hair. 23andMe scientists identified 48 different genetic variants that affect this trait among people of European ancestry. The genetics around <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/hair-photobleaching">hair photobleaching</a> should not be confused with the<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/untangling-the-genetics-of-hair-color/"> hundreds of genes associated with hair color</a>. According to data that 23andMe used to create this trait report, a little more than 72 percent of customers who consented to participate in research and have European ancestry reported that the sun lightens their hair.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26390 size-large" title="Hair Photobleaching" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-837x1024.png" alt="" width="837" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-837x1024.png 837w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-245x300.png 245w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-768x940.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-719x880.png 719w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-964x1180.png 964w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 837px) 100vw, 837px" />
<h6>Fear of Heights</h6>
It turns out that certain fears, including acrophobia, which is the fear of heights, have a genetic component. 23andMe reports on whether your genetics makes you more or less likely than the average person to be afraid of heights. While a phobia can be learned, there are also fears that are influenced by genetics. Fear of heights is relatively common, affecting as many as<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-012-6685-1"> one in three people</a>, according to one study.
This is consistent with what scientists at 23andMe found among customers who consented to participate in research, with about 37 percent saying they were afraid of heights. The feelings one has may be based on the visual stimulus one experiences when standing near the edge of a significant drop-off, where the nearby objects one uses as optical input to maintain balance is absent. Scientists believe that acrophobia might be stronger in those who depend heavily on visual information for balance, which also has a genetic component.
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26389 size-large" title="Fear of Heights" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-1024x1001.png" alt="" width="1024" height="1001" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-1024x1001.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-300x293.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-768x751.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-880x860.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-1180x1153.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Ability to match music note </h6>
More than just being able to sing, the ability to match a musical note is something that some people are just<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-04-11/how-much-of-our-ability-to-sing-in-tune-is-inherited/9636506"> born with</a>. 23andMe now reports on whether your genetics makes it more or less likely that you’ll match a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/musical-pitch/">musical pitch</a>. Although it might seem simple for those with this instinctive ability, there is actually a lot going on. Reproducing a note requires the ability first to hear the pitch, and then the brain identifies the muscles needed to produce the sound. About half of 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research say they can sing back any note, and our researchers have identified no fewer than 500 genetic variants associated with the ability to match musical pitch.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26388 size-large" title="Match Musical Pitch" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-876x1024.png" alt="" width="876" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-876x1024.png 876w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-257x300.png 257w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-768x898.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-753x880.png 753w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-1009x1180.png 1009w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px" />
<h6>Genetic Traits</h6>
Together, these trait reports show that traits like these — as well as the more than two-dozen others that we offer to health + ancestry customers — are influenced by your genetics. The reports can help give you a bit more insight into the fascinating world of genetics, and how the interplay between your DNA and your environment can ultimately influence who you are.
We encourage you to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/">check them out</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Itching to See 23andMe’s New Trait Reports

Most of us know that the color of our hair, or whether we have a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/cleft-chin/">chin dimple</a>, or the likelihood of going bald when we get older has something to do with genetics, but other traits — being a morning person, having an aversion to cilantro or getting irritated at hearing someone chew their food — also have a genetic component.
23andMe recently added four new reports to its growing list of more than two-dozen Trait reports.&nbsp; Together, these reports help illustrate how our genetics may influence more than just physical traits like the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/hair-thickness">thickness of our hair</a>, but also food preferences or certain behavioral traits.
The reports also help us understand something else that many of us know already but for which we may still need a reminder — our genetics don’t explain everything.
Our traits are influenced by a complex interaction between genetics, environment, and lifestyle. And the genetic influences can also be complicated with dozens and even hundreds, or sometimes thousands of genetic variants playing a role.
23andMe’s Trait Reports offer a fun way to explore this complexity by looking at how your DNA may influence <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">physical features</a> or certain personal characteristics. Spend a little time with each report and you quickly get a sense of how your genetics is just part of the bigger picture.
Keep in mind that these results from 23andMe research are preliminary and are meant for informational purposes only. Our scientists used data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research in creating these reports. So let’s look at the four new Trait Reports we’ve added:
<h6>Cilantro Taste Aversion</h6>
 Many people describe<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/cilantro-love-hate-genetic-trait/"> cilantro as tasting like soap</a> so slipping <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cilantro-Aversion.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-26278" width="257" height="192">a bit of the&nbsp; herb into a dish is seen as a culinary crime. 23andMe researchers have identified two genetic variants associated with aversion to cilantro in people of European ancestry. These two variants are near genes that control the olfactory receptors that determine a person’s sense of smell. Some of these receptors detect something called aldehydes, a compound found in soap, and a major component of the cilantro aroma.While having these variants might make it more likely that you dislike cilantro, it doesn’t guarantee it. The culture in which you grow up makes a difference too.<a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2044-7248-1-8"> A study</a> from 2012 found distinct differences in aversion to cilantro among different populations. In cultures where the use of the herb was more common, among people with South Asian, Hispanic or Middle Eastern ancestry, fewer people dislike cilantro.
<h6>Misophonia</h6>
The report looks at the feelings of rage triggered by certain sounds<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Misophonia-300x290.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-26277 size-medium" width="300" height="290" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Misophonia-300x290.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Misophonia.jpg 310w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />.<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/misophonia/"> Misophonia</a>, from the Greek word meaning hatred of sound, is characterized by an emotional reaction from rage to panic upon hearing other people chewing, sipping or chomping on their food. Some scientists believe that this could be an increased connection within the brain involved with hearing and the “fight or flight” response. 23andMe’s new report looks at a genetic variant near the TENM2 gene — involved in brain development — that is associated with having higher odds of <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/misophonia/">misophonia</a>. 

<h6>Wake-up Time </h6>
Being a morning person or a night owl is partially<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/rise-and-shine/"> associated with your genetics</a>. 23andMe researchers looked at data from more than 70,000 customers who consented to <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Large-Trait-Feature-Image-e1529623778394-300x176.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26294" width="300" height="176" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Large-Trait-Feature-Image-e1529623778394-300x176.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Large-Trait-Feature-Image-e1529623778394.png 625w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />participate in research and found 450 different genetic variants associated with being a morning person or a night owl. This new report uses genetic information and non-genetic information as part of a statistical model to predict what time you’d typically wake up on your days off when you don’t have to wake up for work. The report also allows you to adjust your genetics or your age to see how that might impact the prediction. Typically the older you are the earlier you wake up.
<h6>Hair Thickness </h6>
Genetics doesn’t just play a role in the color of your locks or whether or not you might go bald, it also influences the <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hair-Thickness-300x290.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26280" width="300" height="290" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hair-Thickness-300x290.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Hair-Thickness.jpg 310w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />thickness of the hair you have. The size and shape of your hair follicles influence the thickness of each individual strand of hair you have. Typically people with East Asian ancestry have thicker hair than individuals with African or European ancestry. 23andMe’s new report looks at one genetic variant in the gene EDAR that is important in follicle development and plays a large role in the thickness of your hair. 23andMe actually offers six other reports that look at different hair traits, such early hair loss, the likelihood of developing a bald spot, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/hair-texture/">hair texture</a>, light or dark hair, red hair and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/widows-peak/">having a widow’s peak</a>.
23andMe’s new Trait Reports are just the latest in a series of new offerings for customers interested in exploring their genetics in a fun and inviting way.
&nbsp;

23andMe Adds Four New Trait Reports

Scientists have found a new method that could help illuminate the many genetic variants that contribute to personality traits and psychological disorders.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-25916" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz-1180x663.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Data-Viz.jpg 1366w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

Both genetics and environmental factors influence personality. Estimates suggest that as much as 50 percent of the variance in personality among individuals is influenced by genetics, and in recent years ever-larger genome-wide association studies have been able to identify some of those genetic associations.

But consistently finding these clues is difficult in part because there are a large number of genetic variants that individually have a small effect but together exert an influence on personality and psychological disorders.

So researchers at the <a href="http://profiles.ucsd.edu/chi-hua.chen">University of California at San Diego</a> created this <a href="https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article-abstract/26/22/4530/4097760">new method</a> for improving the statistical power for gene discovery looking specifically at neuroticism, one of the so-called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits">“Big Five”</a> traits for measuring personality. People with high neuroticism scores tend to respond worse to stress and be moodier than average. Neuroticism is associated with various mental and physical health issues including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, and high levels of neuroticism are associated with schizophrenia.

Using data from about 60,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, as well as data from the <a href="http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/about-biobank-uk/">UK Biobank</a> and the international <a href="http://www.tweelingenregister.org/GPC/">Genetic Personality Consortium</a>, the researchers combined two statistical tools — relative enrichment scores and false discovery rates — as a way to extract more information regarding the genetic variants associated with the trait.

This method helped the researchers improve the statistical power of what would be a traditional large-scale genome-wide association study, revealing underlying genetic associations that couldn’t be seen otherwise. In this case, they found five genetic variants in four different genes or gene regions. Variants in one of those genes, EP300, are associated with schizophrenia.

“These genetic and phenotypic findings suggest that neuroticism might share the same biological pathways with psychiatric disorders,” the researchers concluded in the paper.

The researchers said they were able to increase “power for gene discovery for neuroticism.” Beyond that, the researchers argue that the model demonstrates, “that this statistical framework is a promising tool for improving gene discovery using existing (genome-wide association study) summary statistics.”

Go to the Journal of <a href="https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article-abstract/26/22/4530/4097760">Human Molecular Genetics</a> to read more about this study.

Researchers studying personality traits improve method for identifying genetic associations

This year, 23andMe is a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-champion/">proud supporter</a> of NBC’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26025" height="300" width="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-768x768.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-880x880.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080-980x980.jpg 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/JuliaMancuso_1080.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
This campaign is a first for us, but we have always been big fans and supporters of the Olympic Games, what they stand for &#8211; unity, connection, and a celebration of our collective DNA, and the athletes who spend much of their lives preparing for this moment every four years.

In sport, the difference between winning and losing is measured in fractions of a second, the sharpness of a turn, or the will to push past your physical and mental limits. As spectators, it’s easy to forget that leading up to those brief moments in competition are many years of training.

We learned a little bit about what makes a champion by meeting several <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-champion/">legendary winter athletes</a> who shared some of the insights about themselves they learned through their 23andMe results. Former gold medal skier Julia Mancuso used 23andMe to explore her heritage and gleens some info from her genetic weight report. Joey Cheek, a champion speed skater, learned that despite always being told that his lean frame was better for endurance races, his gold medal, and his genetics, confirmed he was built for speed. 

Bode Miller, the legendary Olympic champion skier summed it up when he said, “Information is one of the most critical pieces of … really anything and certainly speed skating. You need to know where your strengths are and where to apply them.”

While 23andMe can’t tell you whether you have the DNA of a Champion, like these Olympians, the information we report to you may give you an edge that makes a difference in your life.

Explore what your DNA says about you, and enjoy this year’s Winter Games.

The DNA of a Champion

By Amick Boone
(Editor&#8217;s note 8/21/202: This post has been slightly edited from when it first published in 2017.) Seven-year-old Shilah Yin likes being different. She even likes it when people describe her hair — a thick frizzy blond mane that juts out at all angles — as looking like the wacky time-traveling scientist Doc Brown’s from Back to the Future. Luckily it’s one of her favorite movies.
<div id="attachment_25723" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-25723" class="wp-image-25723 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Scalp_hair-uncombable_hair_syndrome-1-300x164.gif" alt="A case of uncombable hair syndrome" width="300" height="164" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Scalp_hair-uncombable_hair_syndrome-1-300x164.gif 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Scalp_hair-uncombable_hair_syndrome-1-271x149.gif 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Scalp_hair-uncombable_hair_syndrome-1-372x204.gif 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Source: Cobb HK, Tiu AY. &#8220;A case of uncombable hair syndrome and global developmental delays.&#8221; International Journal of Case Reports and Images 2017;8(2):108–111. doi:10.5348/ijcri-201718-CR-10757</div>
Shilah has something called “uncombable hair syndrome.” It’s a real but rare genetic disorder affecting the hair shaft of the scalp characterized by silvery-blond or sometimes straw-colored hair that stands out from the scalp in a disorderly way and cannot be combed flat.
Stories published in <a href="https://www.today.com/health/uncombable-hair-syndrome-condition-gives-girl-unruly-mane-t114586">Today</a> and <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4735506/Melbourne-schoolgirl-Unbrushable-Hair-Syndrome.html">Daily Mail</a> report that Shilah was born with brown hair, but a strawberry-blond fuzz began to appear when she was about three months old. From then on, it grew straight out from her scalp and became blonder.
Shilah says she’s special and unique, like a unicorn, and her family supports her positive attitude. They document her experience on Instagram to share how special Shilah is and to make others aware of the disorder.
<h2>A Rare Hair Disorder</h2>
Uncontrollable hair syndrome is specific to children, first appearing between three months and 12 years and usually improving or resolving by puberty.
The condition only affects a child’s scalp hair. While the amount of hair remains normal, it often grows slowly. Over time, the hair becomes progressively dry and turns silvery-blond or straw-colored, standing out and growing in different directions.
The first case of uncontrollable hair syndrome was reported in 1912, and in 1973, the syndrome was named &#8220;cheveux incoiffables&#8221; by doctors in France. In the 1980s, it also became known as “spun-glass hair.”
<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 300px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">
<h3>Does 23andMe Test for Uncombable Hair Syndrome?</h3>
23andMe doesn’t report on the genes that cause uncombable hair syndrome, but we do report on genes that influence other hair traits.
23andMe offers customers reports on hair curliness, hair color, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/newborn-hair">newborn hair amount</a>, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/unibrow/">unibrow</a>, and widow’s peak. For men, we report on whether or not you’ve inherited genes that influence back hair, hair loss, or bald spots. <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">Learn more</a>.
</div>
<h2>How Genetics Contribute to Uncombable Hair Syndrome</h2>
According to the National Institutes of Health, the syndrome is caused by variants in the genes PADI3, TGM3, and TCHH. These three genes code for proteins involved in hair shaft formation. The syndrome appears to be inherited in an <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002052.htm">autosomal recessive</a> fashion, which means that if both parents are carriers, there is a 25 percent chance of their child inheriting both abnormal variants and, consequently, developing the syndrome. There is a 50 percent chance of a child inheriting only one abnormal gene and being a carrier. There is also a 25 percent chance of the child inheriting both normal variants.
These are the variants that researchers know about. Scientists also suspect that some cases of uncombable hair syndrome are caused by other genes that have not yet been identified. These could be inherited, by contrast, in an <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002049.htm">autosomal dominant </a>manner, meaning that having a variant in only one copy of the responsible gene in each cell is enough to cause the condition. When a person with a variant that causes an autosomal dominant condition has children, each child has a 50 percent (1 in 2) chance of inheriting the variant.
Many of these autosomal dominant cases may occur with “reduced penetrance,” which means that not all people with a variant in the responsible gene will have uncombable hair syndrome. With reduced penetrance, a condition may appear to “skip a generation” or may appear to occur for the first time, or only once, in a family.
<h2>Diagnosing Uncombable Hair Syndrome</h2>
People with uncombable hair syndrome often report that no one in their family has had it, and that may well be the case, from what they can see. However, hair shaft abnormalities associated with the syndrome have shown up in unaffected family members when they looked at their hair under a specific type of microscope.
The individual hair strands are either triangular or kidney-shaped in cross-section. The hair strands have a groove along one or two faces. To diagnose uncombable hair syndrome, doctors observe symptoms. They also look under a microscope for these characteristic hair strand qualities.
<h2>Is there Treatment for Uncombable Hair Syndrome?</h2>
Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment for the syndrome. However, the condition usually improves or resolves on its own with the onset of puberty. Gentle hair care is recommended using conditioners and soft brushes. It&#8217;s also recommended to avoid harsh hair treatments, excessive brushing, and blow-drying. Some published studies suggest that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotin">biotin supplements</a> may improve the condition.
Shilah, for her part, loves her unruly hair. She especially likes it when her dad combs and dries. Together, they want to fluff it up as big as it can get.
Learn more about how genetics influences your hair color, curl, thickness, and texture <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/hair-texture/">here</a>. 
Amick Boone is a freelance writer who has written about health and life sciences for over a decade.  When she&#8217;s not at her computer, she&#8217;s usually in motion &#8211; doing yoga, riding her bike or traveling.

Amick Boone

Understanding Uncombable Hair Syndrome

Inside each of us is a beautiful, rich genetic story. Some of which is told through the people with whom we are related.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25268" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Related-1.jpg 414w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> 
23andMe’s new Ancestry Report has reimagined how you see these relatives — both close and distant — not just matching you with people with whom you share pieces of DNA, but putting those matches into context that tells you something about yourself.
Our new Ancestry Report introduces you to the 23andMe customers who make up Your DNA Family in a whole new way.
<h6>Your DNA Relatives, Let&#8217;s Do the Numbers</h6>
So how many relatives are we talking about, here? As you trace your family tree back in time, you can see that you have more ancestors with each generation. Look back 150 to 200 years, for instance, and you likely have 64 fourth-great grandparents. That many people have a lot of descendants. In fact, using a simple model where each family has only two to three children, we estimate that the average person has 4,700 fifth cousins out there!
You can find a number of these cousins when you use 23andMe’s DNA Relatives tool. Most 23andMe customers find hundreds, or even thousands of DNA Relatives who have also chosen 23andMe to explore their genetic heritage. That’s a lot of people — and a lot of stories — to sort through!
Your DNA Family helps you get started with a high-level overview of your 23andMe DNA Relatives grouped by their prediction relationship to you. These groups include close relationships (up to second cousins), third to fourth cousins, and distant cousins (5th cousins or more distant).
The significance of these distant cousins isn’t so much about the number of matches you have, but what these matches can tell you about your family history. You may see this in how your DNA relatives share surnames, or ancestry or hometowns. This information could help inform some of what you may already know about your ancestors and where they came from. Or you may learn something new.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25234" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1.png" alt="" width="979" height="523" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1.png 979w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1-300x160.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1-768x410.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/relative_buckets_wide-1-880x470.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px" />See Your DNA Relatives Around the World
Seeing your relatives in a new way offers you insight about your ancestry you might not otherwise have. The Your DNA Family report features map to show you the <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25222" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-300x221.png" alt="" width="300" height="221" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-300x221.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-768x566.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-1024x755.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-880x649.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles-1180x870.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/us_map_with_toggles.png 1652w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />distribution of your DNA Relatives across the United States and around the world.
The pattern of how those matches plot on that map may reflect both decades-old migration  or more recent patterns. But they tell you a story that could include a family lodged in one region generation after generation, or ancestors who immigrated across continents or oceans seeking new opportunities.
<h6>Ancestry Composition Patterns</h6>
Human history is the story of migration, and clues to that story is also found in your DNA.
While your history is tied to the history of each of your cousins through at least one common ancestor, it is also tied to specific regions in the world.
23andMe’s Ancestry Composition can show you the mix of ancestry you have, but we’ve also added in features that help you compare that mix with your DNA Relatives.
This helps you explore the commonalities and differences in your ancestry. You can see this in a summary of the Ancestry Compositions of your DNA Relatives. You’ll find out how many different populations are represented in the ancestry of your DNA Family as well as how many of your relatives have ancestry from each of those populations.
<h6>Traits of Your DNA Relatives<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-25265" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-300x186.png" alt="" width="300" height="186" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-300x186.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-768x477.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module-880x546.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/traits_module.png 918w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h6>
23andMe’s New Ancestry Report also looks at this pool of DNA Relatives and asks what beyond segments of DNA do you share.
By looking at shared traits, the new report offers you another way of looking your DNA Family.  For instance, maybe you have more DNA Relatives who can wiggle their ears, or a chorus of singers with perfect pitch. Perhaps your DNA Family has more than its fair share of vegetarians.
The New Ancestry Report looks at  a collection of common habits, tastes, characteristics and abilities — drawn from responses to  surveys 23andMe customers answer —  and then we tell you how your DNA Family stands out. We can do that by comparing the percentage of your DNA Relatives who report having each trait to the matching percentage of all 23andMe customers.
<h6>A Starting Point for Your DNA Relative Search</h6>
Want to dig further? Connect with relatives using the DNA Relatives tool. In the tool, you can find individual relatives and explore their profiles one at a time. Message your cousins to share information, and compare DNA segments with multiple matches to find clues to your shared family history.
To begin and end with words from our CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki:
“Every day I watch people connect with their DNA family, and see how the concept of family can evolve into something greater — and even more meaningful.” 
Find out how your DNA Family can help you discover your rich genetic story.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25231" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AC_comparison_apr12th-e1492192125921.png" alt="" width="640" height="518" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AC_comparison_apr12th-e1492192125921.png 640w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AC_comparison_apr12th-e1492192125921-300x243.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />

Meet Your DNA Family

If you think that opposites attract, you are likely mistaken, or at least that&#8217;s what the science says. Over a hundred years ago, researchers first discovered that couples are actually more alike than <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17437" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/AfricanAmericanCoupleHeart-200x300.jpg" alt="AfricanAmericanCoupleHeart" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/AfricanAmericanCoupleHeart-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/AfricanAmericanCoupleHeart.jpg 283w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />they are different.


One of the first things researchers noted was that tall people tend to partner with other tall people. Since then, studies of this phenomena – called &#8220;assortative mating&#8221; – have found strong correlations among couples for almost all traits, including behavior, personality, and disease risk.


There are  a lot of reasons for this. Love is complicated, and figuring out precisely why couples get together is tricky.
But a new study the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-016-0016">Nature Human Behavior</a> has identified genetic evidence for assortative mating, reporting that, at least for one trait, height, there is a strong correlation between the genetic variants that influence height in one partner and the actual height of the other.
In this  study, researchers from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, the University of North Carolina, 23andMe and dozens of other institutions, were able to look specifically at genetic factors by using a new design and analytical approach that allowed for them to carefully control for non-genetic influences. 
Isolating all the different cultural and social influences involved in why people partner up, isn&#8217;t easy, however. We may be attracted to our partners for any number of reasons. For instance, partners might have similar BMIs because people are attracted to individuals with a BMI that resembles their own. Or, they might choose a partner who is culturally similar. Alternatively, their BMIs might converge over time due to shared environment.


To isolate some of those kinds of influences the researchers in this study used data from more than 24,000 couples, including 11,908 from 23andMe, and compared an individual’s genetically-predicted height and BMI to those of their partner. Because genetics are determined at birth, these shouldn’t be correlated if partners become more similar only after meeting each other.
The researchers also controlled for population, to remove the effects of shared cultural background.
They found a strong correlation between people’s genetic predisposition for height and the actual height of their partner. The findings showed that similarity in couples’ heights can be largely explained by people selecting mates who are like them. Tall people, it seems, are attracted to other tall people.
But the findings were not as strong for BMI, where there was a weaker correlation between people’s genetic contributions to BMI and the actual BMI of their partners.
One possible implication of this is that “mate choice” may, in turn, affect the genetic architecture of traits in humans as well. Assortative mating may increase the odds of parents passing on a trait, like height, to their children.


“These results have implications for the interpretation of resemblance between relatives and for estimates of genetic parameters in populations,” the researchers said.
You can find the paper in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-016-0016">Nature</a>.

Genetic evidence of assortative mating in humans

A lot of people bite their nails. It’s not that unusual, but researchers looking at the underlying biology for individuals who do it often are learning that frequent nail-biting may point to more serious conditions.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-21024 alignright" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/@PITER-23andMe-ChaoTian-25.jpg" alt="@PITER-23andMe-ChaoTian-25" width="199" height="287" />


For people who frequently bite their nails, the habit is associated with higher chances of having some psychiatric disorders or compulsive behaviors, according to new research by 23andMe senior statistical geneticist Chao Tian. In a short talk at the annual American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Vancouver, Chao presented findings showing   genetic associations with frequent nail-biting as well as other associations with the habit.
Before diving into her findings, it’s important to note again that in most cases nail-biting is not out of the ordinary. In children and teens, it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3556753/">isn’t associated</a> with any psychiatric disorder. It is more a reflection of boredom, stress or even behavior modeled from parents, according to psychiatrists who study the condition.
The habit is fairly common. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3556753/">Estimates</a> are that about 30 percent of children and 45 percent of teens bite their nails, and as people move into adulthood the percent of people who bite their nails diminishes.
But where there are interesting associations are among those who report that they frequently bite their nails. For those individuals the habit is associated with higher chances of having some psychiatric disorders or compulsive behavior, according to new research by 23andMe senior statistical geneticist Chao Tian.
In her talk at the annual American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Vancouver this week, Chao presented findings showing both genetic associations with frequent nail-biting as well as associations between the habit and certain psychiatric disorders.


For this study, Chao looked at data from 180,000 23andMe customers of European ancestry who consented to research. About 37 percent of whom reported that they bite their nails, with about seven percent of the total saying they did so frequently.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24474" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nail-biter-1.jpg" alt="nail-biter" width="147" height="193" />
Chao and other researchers at 23andMe found two dozen genetic associations with nail-biting, known by the medical term onychophagy.
While nibbling on nails during times of stress doesn’t mean one has a psychiatric disorder, among those who report that they frequently bite their nails the picture changes a bit.
Data shows that frequent nail biters are more likely to have certain disorders and habits such as depression, anxiety, and trichotillomania, the scientific name for the urge to pull out one’s own hair.
What’s also interesting is that the function of some of the genes in which nail biting associations were found point to links with things like nail structure, BMI, taste perception and neuronal regulation in the brain, Chao said.


What’s important to note here is that most cases of nail biting among children and teens isn’t associated with any psychiatric disorder, but rather a sign of boredom, stress or even behavior modeled from parents. About 30 percent of children and 45 percent of teens bite their nails. Nail-biting tends to diminish as people move into adulthood.
In this study, Chao also looked other characteristics like conscientiousness, openness, neuroticism, agreeableness and perceived stress, and found that those people who reported biting their nails often were also more likely to be neurotic and stressed. On the other hand, her research showed that people who didn’t bite their nails were more likely to be conscientious.


In and of itself this study is interesting, but it also illustrates the power of collecting large amounts of phenotypic data with genotypic data to study the underlying biology of many different kinds of conditions.

A Real Nail Biter

Attending the annual American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Vancouver next week?<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-6586" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-200x200.jpg" alt="23andMe_Logo_blog" width="200" height="200" />
We&#8217;d love to hear from you! Attend our talks, come by our posters, and find us at our booth.
The 23andMe research team has a full slate of presentations and posters at ASHG this year.


Wednesday, Oct 19

TALK 
11:30am &#8211; 12:00pm


From GWAS and Mendelian Genes to Therapeutic Drug Targets

Richard Scheller, 23andMe Chief Science Officer and Head of <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24403" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/richard-small.jpg" alt="richard-small" width="100" height="94" />Therapeutics 
The Therapeutics group at 23andMe is using human genetic data as the starting point for identifying new therapies for both common and rare diseases.

Session 20.
From GWAS and Mendelian Genes to Therapeutic Drug Targets 
Ballroom B, West Building, Convention Centre


POSTERS 
3 pm &#8211; 4 pm


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24402" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Karl-small.jpg" alt="karl-small" width="100" height="94" />

Karl Heilbron, 23andMe Post-doctoral Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 406

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24401" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RobertB-1.jpg" alt="robertb-1" width="100" height="99" />

Robert Bell, 23andMe Bioinformaticist

Poster #: PgmNr 430

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24404" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Aaron-Small.jpg" alt="aaron-small" width="100" height="97" />

Aaron Kleinman, 23andMe Senior Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 496

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24440" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nick-Small.jpg" alt="nick-small" width="100" height="83" />

Nicholas Furlotte, 23andMe Statistical Geneticist

Poster #: PgmNr 514

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


Thursday, Oct 20 
EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR (registration required) 
1pm — 2:30pm


New Models in Genotyping: Incentivizing Recruitment, Engaging Participants and Accelerating Research Results

Location: Ballroom B, East Building, Convention Centre


Program includes:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24437" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Joyce-Small.jpg" alt="joyce-small" width="100" height="82" /> 
How the consumerization of genomics benefits research

Joyce Tung, 23andMe VP of R&amp;D


Reimagining genetic studies: Genotyping Services for Research

Robert Borkowski, 23andMe Product Manager<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24438" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/RobertB-small.jpg" alt="robertb-small" width="100" height="88" />


POSTERS 
2 pm &#8211; 3 pm
&nbsp;

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24439" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Olga-Small.jpg" alt="olga-small" width="100" height="89" />

Olga Sazonova, Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 1409 
Convention Centre,
Exhibit Hall B, West Building
3 pm &#8211; 4 pm

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24436" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Janie-Small-1.jpg" alt="janie-small" width="100" height="109" />

Janie Shelton, 23andMe Survey Methodologist

Poster #: PgmNr 350 
Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building

&nbsp;

<a href="https://ep70.eventpilot.us/web/page.php?page=Speaker&#038;project=ASHG16&#038;id=341749">The impact of personal experience with direct ­-to- ­consumer genetic testing on physician readiness</a>

Erynn Gordon, 23andMe Director of Clinical Development<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24441" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Erynn2-small.jpg" alt="erynn2-small" width="100" height="89" />

Poster #: PgmNr 3098

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


Friday, Oct 21


POSTERS 
2 pm &#8211; 3 pm
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24400" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Mike-Small.jpg" alt="mike-small" width="100" height="102" />

Michael Multhaup, 23andMe Product Scientist

Poster #: PgmNr 477

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24399" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Fah-small.jpg" alt="fah-small" width="93" height="99" />

Fah Sathirapongsasuti, 23andMe Computational Biologist

Poster #: PgmNr 1719

Convention Centre, Exhibit Hall B, West Building


Saturday, Oct 22
TALK 
9:15am &#8211; 9:30am

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-24398" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/chao-small.jpg" alt="chao-small" width="100" height="121" />

Chao Tian, 23andMe Senior Statistical Geneticist

PgmNr 276 
Session 78.
Neuropsychiatric Diseases of the Young and Old 
Room 221, West Building, Convention Centre
You can also find us at our marketing booth #211.


<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andme-scientists-to-present-new-findings/">Read more</a> about our scientific presence at ASHG.

Traits — Page 2