November 5, 2010 12:52

Ozzy Osbourne gets his full genome mapped by scientists

Former Black Sabbath man's genes are charted for research project

Photo Gallery: Ozzy Osbourne
Photo: Pa Photos

Ozzy Osbourne has had his genetic structure fully mapped by scientists.

The former Black Sabbath frontman has had his genome sequenced by researchers in the US, reports Scientificamerican.com.

"Ozzy carries several hundred thousand variants that have never been seen by scientists," explained Nathaniel Pearson of the research company Knome, who approached the singer to have his genome mapped alongside Ivy League professors and scientists.

"It's going to be a while before we get enough data as a society to understand those variants," he added. "Many of the variants in his genome are about how the brain processes dopamine."

According to early findings, Osbourne is more likely to experience hallucinations when using marijuana than the average person, while he also has an increased risk of cocaine addiction and alcohol dependency.

The research also reveals that genetically Osbourne can trace some of his lineage back to the extinct Neanderthals, a cousin of modern humans.

"For a long time we thought that Neanderthals didn't have any descendents today, but it turns out that Asians and Europeans have some evidence of Neanderthal lineage – like a drop in the bucket," Pearson explained. "We found a little segment on Ozzy's chromosome 10 that very likely traces back to a Neanderthal forebear."

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