Brain arousal gauges how alert or awake you are, how well you sleep, and has been linked to your cognition, emotion, and behaviors as well. When there is something (or someone) in the environment that frightens you, your brain becomes more aroused and therefore alert. On the other hand, if you are sipping tea while reading a book in the comfort of your own home, then your brain arousal decreases.
But balance is key. A hyperactive (or "hypostable") brain is linked to manic behavior, while a hypoactive (or "hyperstable") brain contributes to depression.
While we know that the environment is clearly important in influencing brain arousal, your brain arousal at the resting state may be genetically-based. In a genome-wide association study with Central European participants, they discovered 7 gene loci that have a suggestive association with brain arousal at the resting state (although these were not strictly statistically significant).
The strongest signal was at a locus on the TMEM159 gene. This is interesting because a higher expression of this gene has previously been linked to conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Alzheimer's Disease. Find out more about the study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29703947
Check Genomelink now to discover more about your brain arousal at its resting state!
