One in every three individuals suffer from motion sickness, the uncomfortable dizziness, nausea, and vomiting that occurs when their sense of balance is disturbed. Motion sickness is considered highly inheritable, with estimates showing that genetics account for 70 percent of the condition.

 

Researchers at a company called 23andMe studied the genes of more than 80,000 people and found 35 genetic factors related to motion sickness.

Many of these variants were located in or near genes involved in balance, and eye, ear, and cranial development. Others were located near genes that play roles in the nervous system, glucose homeostatis (blood sugar/insulin balance), or hypoxia (a condition that occurs due to a lack of oxygen to the body’s cells and tissues).

 

They found women were three times more likely to have motion sickness genes. In addition, people who experience migraines, vertigo, and morning sickness as well as postoperative nausea, and vomiting (PONV) are more likely to also have them.

 

“Until now there’s been a poor understanding of the genetics of motion sickness, despite it being a fairly common condition. These findings could help provide clues about the causes of motion sickness and other related conditions, and how to treat them, which is very exciting,” said Bethann Hromatka, the lead author of the study.

 

The company, 23andMe performs direct-to-consumer genetic testing.