Reward & Motivation

Your result, the one DNA position behind it, and what the research says.

5/10 confidence.

About Reward & Motivation

This variant sits right next to DRD2, the gene that builds the brain's D2 dopamine receptor - a central piece of the reward and motivation circuit. Some studies have linked it to fewer D2 receptors and to differences in how strongly the brain responds to rewards. The findings are mixed, so it's one small factor at most - motivation and habits depend far more on your environment and the rest of your genome.

Good to know: Findings are mixed - treat this as background, not a verdict on your motivation. Reward and habits are driven far more by environment and learning. This marker sits beside DRD2 rather than inside it.

Fun fact: Dopamine isn't really the 'pleasure' chemical - it drives wanting and motivation more than enjoyment itself.

Discovery: This Taq1A variant was linked to dopamine receptors in the 1990s.

The Variant

The single variant behind this trait

Gene: ANKK1/DRD2

Variant (rsID): rs1800497

Location: Chr 11:113,400,106

dbSNP rs1800497

The studies

D2 dopamine receptor gene (DRD2) Taq1 A polymorphism: reduced dopamine D2 receptor binding in the human striatum associated with the A1 allele (Thompson J et al., Pharmacogenetics, 1997)

Other lifestyle traits

Stress & Focus: A common variant in the COMT gene that affects how quickly your brain clears dopamine - studied for its links to focus and how you handle stress.

Word Recall: A variant in the KIBRA gene, reported in some studies to track with how many words people recall in memory tests.

Left-Handedness: A change in a metal transporter gene, one of dozens of positions linked to which hand people write with.

Back to All Traits

Content updated September 2026.

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