A new study suggests that a part of the brain actively induces the increase of height in people. The specified part is among the numerous receptors of the organ. Along with its effect on the tallness of an individual, the same receptor is responsible for triggering the biological maturity of the person, enabling puberty to hit earlier than the expected age.
Melanocortin 3 Receptor and Its Function
The melanocortin 3 receptor or MC3R is a gene that has a role in protein-coding inside the human body. The MC3R is frequently associated with health cases regarding the body mass index. It is located in the region of the brain called the hypothalamic neurons, where the regulation of reproduction and growth takes place. According to a report by the University of Cambridge, the study found that even the slightest mutations in the MC3R receptor could impact the ability of a person to grow in size and go through the standard development of puberty.
When the mutations in MC3R are significant, people's height could fall into either of the extremities of measurement. In addition, puberty could hit later than expected. The study's findings could contribute to the medicinal industry in developing the most advanced supplements and treatments for delayed growth and insufficient muscle mass.
The study on identifying the receptor responsible for people achieving a taller height was conducted through the collaborative efforts from the prestigious institutes, including the Queen Mary University of London, University of Cambridge, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Michigan. Based on the findings, the receptor was determined to be the amino acid peptide MC3R, located in the hypothalamic neural area. This gene is among the many contributors to the regulation of the growth and reproduction ability of humans.
MC3R Mutations Make People Taller and Reach an Early Puberty
MC3R is a receptor that focuses on exclusive functions such as the management of responses linked to the nutritional signals and the overall growth maturation of the body. Based on the study, the mutations that MC3R incurred could result in the human body gaining lesser height and reaching puberty later than the expected age.
The study observed that the average height of the population in the United Kingdom during the surge of the 20th century increased by 10 centimeters, while the global range was recorded with a 20-centimeter gain. According to a report by Daily Mail, the study determined that men and women in both the United States and the United Kingdom had an average height of 5'9'' and 5'4'' to 5'3'', respectively.
The study was made possible with the help of 500,000 participants. Each of the individuals had their MC3R examined, and it was found that only a few of the total subjects had mutations in their receptors. In women, there are only 812 individuals with a confirmed MC3R mutation and has a delay of 4.7 in puberty compared to the group without mutation.
In addition, 6 out of 6,000 children tested by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children or ALSPA were detected with MC3R mutations, leading to a lesser lean mass which is among the effects of the change in the receptors. The study was published in the journal Nature, titled "MC3R links nutritional state to childhood growth and the timing of puberty."
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