[A Molecular Genetic Approach to Analysis of Individual Differences in Professionally Important Qualities].

Abstract

The authors present a theoretical analysis of a role of genetic polymorphisms in formation of individual differences influencing the quality of professional activity. The last 20 years have seen a rise in works dedicated to genetics of various cognitive and psychological functions. This review focuses on the psychological and cognitive traits affecting a subject's behavior during his work. Among them are differences in working memory performance, emotional reactions and some personality traits, alterations in prefrontal cortex functions, a number of emotional reactions and personality traits, chronotype and sleep deprivation sensitivity. It has been shown that their individual variability is to a large extent genetically determined. The studies have demonstrated the importance of allele variations of a number of genes in adrenergic, serotonergic and especially dopaminergic systems as well as molecular clock genes for emotional and cognitive spheres. This review is designed for specialists working in the fields of psychogenetics, cognitive and psychological aspects of human factors, occupational safety.