# Population Genetics > mtDNA Haplogroups >  Coughing

## roxy85

Hi 

This may seem a silly question but is coughing associated with mtdna at all?

I have noticed that some certain ethinic group of people cough and clear their throats a lot more than others, especially among people of very ancient cultures, like for example Indian asian peoples could it be to do with their mitochondria

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## LeBrok

One explanation is that when people move from moist climate to dry one they will experience dryness of skin and throat. If Indian people move to Norway they will experience dryness for sure. If people live for a long time in one region, especially for millenia, they will adopt to environment and will feel good there.
I'd say if someone coughs extensively, it's either change of climate, too much smoking, some sickness, or just cultural.

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## Antigone

Yes, you may have a point lebrok. Radical change in enviroment and climate can do many strange things to a person, sometimes good and other times not so good. I get bad reactions to insect bites in Greece but never in Australia, the doctors tell me it is because I have no immunity to the insects in this part of the world. On the otherhand, in Australia I get very bad hayfever at certain times of the year but in Greece I don't get it at all.

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## Maciamo

The environment certainly plays a role, but that is not all. Clearing one's throat, and especially spitting afterwards, has a lot to do with education. In China, for example, it is very common to see people spit in the street, because it is allowed by the local culture (although this is changing due to the western influence). I think there may be a genetic predisposition to needing to clear one's throat too, but surely not related to mtDNA. I know people who constantly need to clear their throat, while I almost never experience that need.

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## foryouandme

> I think there may be a genetic predisposition to needing to clear one's throat too


Yes, I think you could be right.

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## foryouandme

> Hi 
> 
> This may seem a silly question but is coughing associated with mtdna at all?
> 
> I have noticed that some certain ethinic group of people cough and clear their throats a lot more than others, especially among people of very ancient cultures, like for example Indian asian peoples could it be to do with their mitochondria


Yes, I've noticed this too with most Asians and Horn Africans. I don't know, if what you say, it being to do with mtDNA, but most of that region are very ancient haplogroups, for example haplogroup M.

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## Jackson

I think there might be some sort of genetic element to this, for example a lot of people i know can go from not speaking for some time straight into speaking, and rarely clear their throat. For me however, if i haven't spoken for more than about 10 minutes or so then i have to clear my throat because otherwise i talk with a sort of 'strained' voice because of whatever's blocking it - quite annoying really, basically means that if someone talks to me and i haven't spoken in a short while, if i start talking straight away then i talk in an odd voice, unless i cough a few times to clear my throat first, kinda weird and annoying - Dunno if it has anything to do with mtDNA, though. I suppose the only connection you could make is if it was influenced by a gene or a number of genes, that if some areas with a large prevalence of certain mt-dna groups also have a predisposition to having those genes activated then you might draw a correlation that way, even if they are completely unrelated. I would guess it is something to do with the production of mucus, maybe some people just produce more than others, even if it is the same sort.

Kind Regards,
Sam Jackson

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