People Who Feel Most Alive When They Travel Have One Specific Brain Quirk, According To Research
ShotPrime Studio | Shutterstock For some people, travel is an extremely important part of their lives. It's when they feel most alive. They're always itching to go on their next adventure or go somewhere new; constantly planning the next trip, craving new cities, new foods, new conversations, and experiences that shake up their routine. While some see travel as a luxury, for others it feels almost necessary, like their brain lights up the moment they step somewhere unfamiliar.
So is that love of travel just a personality trait, or could there be an actual brain quirk behind it? According to research, people who feel most alive when they travel may share a variation of a dopamine-related gene called DRD4 — a gene linked to novelty-seeking, risk-taking, and the desire for new experiences.
People who feel most alive when they travel have one specific brain quirk, according to research:
A gene linked to dopamine
A study suggested that some people are born to be travelers due to one gene, which is a variation of the gene DRD4, which is linked to the dopamine levels in the brain.
Research found that mutations in this gene have been associated with various behavioral phenotypes, including autonomic nervous system dysfunction, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and the personality trait of novelty seeking, which sounds like a description of wanderlust.
A gene tied to curiosity and restlessness
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A variation of the gene DRD4-7R is carried by about 20 percent of the human population, and is linked with restlessness and curiosity, along with being a named association with ADHD. This restlessness can influence people to take larger risks, like exploring new or different places.
Another study by Chaunsheung Chen found that the DRD4-7R form of the gene is more likely to occur in modern-day societies where people migrated longer distances from where we first originated in Africa many thousands of years ago. In other words, Chen suggests that civilizations that have migrated longer distances from the theoretical origin of all mankind are more susceptible to being carriers of this DRD4-7R gene variant.
However, in an article on Map Happy, writer Karina Martinez-Carter says there really isn't a wanderlust gene, but that DRD4-7R might be related to wanderlust or similar characteristics; people with the gene have been found to have certain characteristics like novelty and adventure-seeking, extraversion, environmental sensitivity, risk-taking, and impulsivity.
A brain that craves reward
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But what's happening at a molecular level that links this gene to adventure-seeking? This is essentially a dopamine gene, meaning it's related to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine plays a crucial role in reward and reinforcement learning, or pleasure and motivation. Research explained how "when a reward is greater than expected, the firing of certain DA neurons increases, which consequently increases desire or motivation towards the reward."
When it's released into the brain, we feel good. But dopamine isn't the only chemical influencing the way we act. There's also the neurotransmitter serotonin that's associated with avoiding harm, which one study implied can counterbalance wanderlust.
This dopamine-related gene variation may increase novelty-seeking behavior, which can make travel feel especially rewarding. You may or may not be biologically programmed to love to travel, but it's still a good idea to want to visit new places and experience new cultures. Ultimately, those are the things that open up your worldview and lead to tolerance and understanding of other people.
Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and astrology lover. She's had articles in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, and Woman's Day.
