Sharp differences in genetic makeup of Finnish regions

Big contrast between populations of east and west of Finland

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Tbe genetic heritage of Finns living in different parts of the country differs sharply from each other.
      The genetic differences between Finns living in the east and west of Finland are greater than that between a number of European nations.
      A study conducted at the University of Helsinki and published on Friday in the PLoS ONE online scientific journal shows that the British and Germans are more closely related genetically to each other than Finns from the eastern part of the country are with their compatriots in western areas.
     
The study attributes the differences to Finland’s demographic history. The relatively late time that Finland was settled by humans, the small population, and its isolation have caused Finns to differentiate genetically from other European nations, and from each other.
      The study finds that the Finns genetic roots are mainly in Central Europe.
     
One of the researchers, Tuuli Lappalainen, estimates that the eastern influence accounts for less than one tenth of Finnish genes. However, the proportion is higher than that which prevails in Sweden.
      Differences in the Finnish genetic makeup do not exclusively follow geographic borders. For instance, North Ostrobothnia in the west of Finland falls into the east of the country on the genetic map, because the area was originally settled from the east.
      The study also finds that the Finnish genetic makeup within the regions is exceptionally uniform.
     
The study involved an analysis of about 1,000Finns, Swedes, Germans, and Brits. More than 200,000 individual variables in the genetic heritage were examined.
      According to the heads of the project, Dr. Päivi Lahermo and Professor Juha Kere, awareness of the genetic heritage is significant in finding the genetic component in many diseases.


Links:
  PloS ONE website:

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