UCLA scientists have discovered a gene linked to positivity, self-worth and self-belief.   The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is a hormone whose level raises in response to stress. “I have been looking for this gene for a few years, and it is not the gene I expected. I knew there had to be a gene for these psychological resources,” commented Shelley E. Taylor, a distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA and senior author of the new research.

Boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya has 10 world titles and one Olympic gold medal to his name but says you could put all of the opponents in the ring at one time and it wouldn’t be as challenging as his fight against alcohol and drugs. He even revealed in an interview with the Spanish-language network Univision, that he has contemplated suicide. “This is the biggest fight of my life,” de la Hoya said. “I could put all my opponents in one ring and battle all of them, but this monster is going to be the toughest fight of my life.”

Dr. Jason Hershberger, a psychiatrist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., said de la Hoya’s struggles could be linked to his public profile inside and outside the boxing ring. “Being famous and in the public spotlight is a pressure,” Hershberger said. “Often what happens in depression is there’s a feeling you’re not meeting the expectations of people around you. And fame can just heighten those feelings.”