SLITKR1. Mean anything? Well apparently this is a gene that was focused on by researchers at The Duke University. They found, in 2006, that many people with trichotillomania had a mutated version of this gene showing that there is perhaps a genetic component to the disorder. The mutated gene is responsible for the ‘wiring of the brain’ which causes people to have the urge to pull out their own hair.

I find this very interesting as I have noticed my own mother pulling at her own eyebrows, which is something I also do. Hers are thinning just like mine and I do wonder if something has been passed on to me.

References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&uid=15488960&cmd=showdetailview&indexed=google

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5381232.stm

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In other news, my hair pulling is getting worse at the moment, frantically yanking out hairs one by one, particularly focusing on pulling a hair with a big follicle. I do it at work and in front of people and I wonder if anyone has noticed, no one has ever said anything to me though. I need to kick this habit, its so frustrating. Frustration is basically a low level of anger which is unproductive for me to live my life to the full.