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PubMed2001

Quantitative genetics and mouse behavior.

Quantitative differences are observed for most complex behavioral and pharmacological traits within any population. Both environmental and genetic influences regulate such individual differences. The mouse has proven to be a superb model in which to investigate the genetic basis for quantitative differences in complex behaviors. Genetically defined populations of mice, including inbred strains, heterogeneous stocks, and selected lines, have been used effectively to document these genetic differences. Recently, quantitative trait loci methods have been applied to map the chromosomal regions that regulate variation with the goal of eventually identifying the gene polymorphisms that reside in these regions.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Finding susceptibility genes for developmental disorders of speech: the long and winding road.

UNLABELLED: Finding susceptibility genes for complex disorders is the next major challenge facing genetics researchers. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate creative thinking about the gene-finding process for developmental speech disorders (DSDs), specifically disorders of articulation/phonology and stuttering. The paper will begin with a review of existing behavioral genetic studies of these phenotypes. This will be followed by a discussion of roadblocks that may impede the molecular study of DSDs, research that is in very early stages of development. As a third objective, the small number of molecular genetic studies of DSDs that have been published or presented will be described. The paper concludes with a discussion of research strategies that may maximize the success of molecular studies of speech phenotypes. It will be argued that progress will most likely be enhanced if theories about biological systems and processes can be used to narrow the search for candidate susceptibility genes. LEARNING OUTCOMES: The reader will be introduced to findings and conceptual issues that relate to the behavioral and molecular genetic investigation of DSDs. After completing this paper, readers should be able to (a) identify key epidemiological findings for the three speech phenotypes that were discussed (DAS, speech delay, and stuttering); (b) summarize the findings of the behavioral genetic studies of speech disorders that were presented; (c) identify four specific challenges that may impede future molecular genetic studies of these phenotypes; (d) describe the methodological sequence that led to the discovery of the FOXP2 gene; and (e) summarize the two research strategies that were presented to potentially reduce sample heterogeneity for future molecular genetics research.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed2006

Cohort trends in prevalence and spousal concordance for smoking.

Evaluation of the pattern of smoking prevalence over time could provide insight for disease prevention and tobacco control policy. Examination of assortative mating is important in assessing the relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences in behavior genetics. A significant spousal concordance for smoking could imply assortative mating behavior and have potential influence on the risk for offspring smoking. Using intergenerational data from large scale adult twin panels in Australia, the present study examined the patterns of prevalence and spousal concordance of lifetime smoking across a wide range of birth cohorts. Data were collected for more than 16,000 twins, their spouses, parents, and parents-reported grandparents. The measurement models were used to calculate prevalence and spousal concordance for smoking. Prevalence of lifetime smoking for females increased significantly over successive cohorts, and was higher for twins (0.28-0.49) than for their parents or grandparents (0.06-0.42). Smoking prevalence was still higher in males than in females for the twins (0.49-0.69), and parental or grandparental (0.62-0.77) generations, but the gender differences largely decreased in younger cohorts. Moderate but significant spousal correlations were found across cohorts and generations, which were higher for twins (0.39-0.55) than for their parents and grandparents (0.19-0.49). Despite using a simplified smoking assessment, findings in this study demonstrated changes of lifetime smoking patterns across birth cohorts and the presence of assortative mating for smoking behavior.

Australia↗
PubMed1981

The Har strains of rats: origins and characteristics.

Origins of the principal lines of Rattus norvegicus used in behavior genetic research are identified. Broad descriptions are provided for 15 of the Har strains and substrains of well-established inbred lines and behaviorally selected stocks. Marker genes are identified for coat and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci. Detailed characteristics are summarized for 12 of these lines using a comprehensive behavioral test battery composed of a variety of measures of expressive behavior, learning, and physiological characteristics.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Behavioral genomics of honeybee foraging and nest defense.

The honeybee has been the most important insect species for study of social behavior. The recently released draft genomic sequence for the bee will accelerate honeybee behavioral genetics. Although we lack sufficient tools to manipulate this genome easily, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that influence natural variation in behavior have been identified and tested for their effects on correlated behavioral traits. We review what is known about the genetics and physiology of two behavioral traits in honeybees, foraging specialization (pollen versus nectar), and defensive behavior, and present evidence that map-based cloning of genes is more feasible in the bee than in other metazoans. We also present bioinformatic analyses of candidate genes within QTL confidence intervals (CIs). The high recombination rate of the bee made it possible to narrow the search to regions containing only 17-61 predicted peptides for each QTL, although CIs covered large genetic distances. Knowledge of correlated behavioral traits, comparative bioinformatics, and expression assays facilitated evaluation of candidate genes. An overrepresentation of genes involved in ovarian development and insulin-like signaling components within pollen foraging QTL regions suggests that an ancestral reproductive gene network was co-opted during the evolution of foraging specialization. The major QTL influencing defensive/aggressive behavior contains orthologs of genes involved in central nervous system activity and neurogenesis. Candidates at the other two defensive-behavior QTLs include modulators of sensory signaling (Am5HT(7) serotonin receptor, AmArr4 arrestin, and GABA-B-R1 receptor). These studies are the first step in linking natural variation in honeybee social behavior to the identification of underlying genes.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Studying rod photoreceptor development in zebrafish.

The zebrafish has rapidly become a favored model vertebrate organism, well suited for studies of developmental processes using large-scale genetic screens. In particular, zebrafish morphological and behavioral genetic screens have led to the identification of genes important for development of the retinal photoreceptors. This may help clarify the genetic mechanisms underlying human photoreceptor development and dysfunction in retinal diseases. In this review, we present the advantages of zebrafish as a vertebrate model organism, summarize retinal and photoreceptor cell development in zebrafish, with emphasis on the rod photoreceptors, and describe zebrafish visual behaviors that can be used for genetic screens. We then describe some of the photoreceptor cell mutants that have been isolated in morphological and behavioral screens and discuss the limitations of current screening methods for uncovering mutations that specifically affect rod function. Finally, we present some alternative strategies to target the rod developmental pathway in zebrafish.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Short exposures to enriched environments can increase genetic variability of behavior in mice.

Previous work indicates that mice of different genotypes reared in enriched environments show differential increases in performance on a food-seeking task. In this study 2 experiments examined the effects in selected mice strains of short exposures to such enrichment. Experiment 1 indicated that 48 hr of exposure to enriched cages was sufficient to produce results found previously when subjects were reared from birth in enriched cages. Experiment 2 indicated that as little as 6 hr of exposure to an enriched cage was sufficient to produce almost maximal enrichment effects in C57BL/10J mice.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Genes, interactions, and the development of behavior.

Explaining how genes influence behavior is important to many branches of psychology, including development, behavior genetics, and evolutionary psychology. Presented here is a developmental model linking the immediate consequence of gene activity (transcription of messenger RNA molecules from DNA sequences) to behavior through multiple molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. The model provides a level of detail appropriate to theories of behavioral development that recognizes the molecular level of gene action, dispensing with the metaphorical use of such terms as blueprints, plans, or constraints that has obscured much previous discussion. Special attention is paid to the possible role of immediate-early genes in initiating developmental responses to experience, adding specificity to the claim that neither genes nor experience act alone to shape development.

Behavior↗
PubMed1999

Adolescent religiousness and its influence on substance use: preliminary findings from the Mid-Atlantic School Age Twin Study.

Research has consistently shown that religiousness is associated with lower levels of alcohol and drug use, but little is known about the nature of adolescent religiousness or the mechanisms through which it influences problem behavior in this age group. This paper presents preliminary results from the Mid-Atlantic School Age Twin Study, a prospective, population-based study of 6-18-year-old twins and their mothers. Factor analysis of a scale developed to characterize adolescent religiousness, the Religious Attitudes and Practices Inventory (RAPI), revealed three factors: theism, religious/spiritual practices, and peer religiousness. Twin correlations and univariate behavior-genetic models for these factors and a measure of belief that drug use is sinful reveal in 357 twin pairs that common environmental factors significantly influence these traits, but a minor influence of genetic factors could not be discounted. Correlations between the multiple factors of adolescent religiousness and substance use, comorbid problem behavior, mood disorders, and selected risk factors for substance involvement are also presented. Structural equation modeling illustrates that specific religious beliefs about the sinfulness of drugs and level of peer religiousness mediate the relationship between theistic beliefs and religious/spiritual practices on substance use. Limitations and future analyses are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Application of antisense DNA method for the study of molecular bases of brain function and behavior.

The antisense DNA method has been used successfully not only in vitro but also with in vivo systems to block effectively the expression of specific genes. An increasing number of studies have shown that antisense DNA administered directly into the brain can modify various kinds of behaviors. These findings strongly suggest that the antisense DNA method can be widely used as a powerful tool for the study of the molecular bases of behavior. In addition to traditional methods of behavioral genetics, the antisense DNA method may provide a new approach for the study of the effects of gene in behavioral function. In this article, we review recent studies reporting in vivo effects of antisense DNA on brain function and behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Genetic influences on personality from infancy to adulthood.

Recent behavior-genetic studies of personality are reviewed. These studies are first organized according to their subjects' age and then interpreted by emphasizing their developmental implications. Although certain discrepancies have arisen from the use of questionnaire versus laboratory assessments and twin studies as opposed to adoption designs, some consensus may be emerging. Research has moved beyond mere demonstration of heritable sources of variation in the great majority of personality measures. This overview of the literature documents (1) the demonstration of genetic bases for stability of certain personality dimensions, (2) evidence suggesting that the most influential environmental sources of variation are those not jointly experienced by family members, and (3) continuing controversy regarding the convergence of genetic results for different assessment strategies and different developmental periods. Clarifying the nature of the interplay between developmental processes and gene action is now a major task for developmental behavioral geneticists who study personality and temperament.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Forward and reverse genetic approaches to behavior in the mouse.

Modern molecular genetic and genomic approaches are revolutionizing the study of behavior in the mouse. "Reverse genetics" (from gene to phenotype) with targeted gene transfer provides a powerful tool to dissect behavior and has been used successfully to study the effects of null mutations in genes implicated in the regulation of long-term potentiation and spatial learning in mice. In addition, "forward genetics" (from phenotype to gene) with high-efficiency mutagenesis in the mouse can uncover unknown genes and has been used to isolate a behavioral mutant of the circadian system. With the recent availability of high-density genetic maps and physical mapping resources, positional cloning of virtually any mutation is now feasible in the mouse. Together, these approaches permit a molecular analysis of both known and previously unknown genes regulating behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Introducing genetic psychophysiology.

Genetic psychophysiology examines interindividual variation in psychophysiological traits using behavioral genetic and molecular genetic techniques. It aims to delineate the pathways that lead from genomic variation to individual differences in cognitive abilities, affect regulation, and mental and physical health. This editorial provides an introduction to the twin design and gene finding strategies using psychophysiological endophenotypes. It also gives a brief outline of the papers presented in this special issue on genetic psychophysiology. Its main objective, and the objective of the entire special issue, is to interest psychophysiologists in the enormous potential of research in this area and to foster the development of collaborative relationships between psychophysiologists and molecular and behavioral geneticists that are necessary to move research in this area forward.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Genetic influences on vulnerability to, and protective factors for, adolescent drinking.

Using behavioral genetic analyses, we investigated and present a possible relationship between adolescent alcohol use and six domains of common problem behaviors in a community-based sample of 633 twin pairs who were under the legal drinking age of 21 (mean age = 15.0 years). The underlying etiology of the six problem behavioral domains, classified as conduct problems, hyperactivity, school problems, low self-esteem, neuroticism, and social withdrawal, was previously described (Siewert et al., 2003) as two heritable and genetically distinct dimensions of problem behavior. We took the two best-fitting models from that study (one that proposed a generalized behavior problem factor along with an internalizing behavior factor, and one that proposed an externalizing behavior factor along with an internalizing behavior factor) and extended the analyses in this study to include an index of alcohol use. Our results suggest that there is a strong genetic relationship between adolescent alcohol use and a broad spectrum of both externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems. The individual who seems to be at risk for either generalized or specifically externalizing behavioral problems is also at risk for adolescent alcohol use. However, the individual who exhibits internalizing problem behaviors appears to be protected from adolescent alcohol use. We propose that adolescent alcohol consumption needs to be understood in the context of these genetically influenced externalizing and internalizing propensities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Cognitive ability and academic achievement in the Colorado Adoption Project: a multivariate genetic analysis of parent-offspring and sibling data.

To test the hypothesis that the etiology of covariation among measures of cognitive ability and academic achievement is due at least in part to shared genetic influences, data from 198 adoptive and 220 nonadoptive families participating in the Colorado Adoption Project were subjected to multivariate behavioral genetic analyses. Data on measures of cognitive ability (verbal comprehension and perceptual organization) and academic achievement (reading recognition and mathematics achievement) from related and unrelated sibling pairs tested at age 7, as well as from adoptive and nonadoptive parents, were analyzed. Phenotypic analyses confirmed previous findings of moderate correlations among measures of cognitive ability and achievement, averaging about .35. Although 54% of the covariation between reading and mathematics achievement was due to influences shared with verbal ability, a significant proportion of this covariation was independent of the cognitive ability measures. Heritabilities for the various measures were moderate, ranging from .21 to .37. Moreover, genetic influences accounted for 33-64% of their phenotypic covariation; for example, 33-60% of the observed correlations between verbal comprehension and the achievement measures, 64% of those between perceptual organization and the achievement measures, and 63% of that between reading recognition and mathematics achievement were due to shared genetic influences. Similar to the results of the phenotypic analysis, nearly half of the genetic covariance between reading and mathematics achievement was independent of cognitive ability. Their remaining covariance was due primarily to nonshared environmental influences.

Adoption↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Current developments in genetics and their implications concerning the problems of social deviations].

A review of historical developments in the field of human genetics reveals much conflict between those espousing and hereditarian position and those maintaining an environmentalist point of view. A confusion of political, propaganda, and ideological objectives with those of science has had deleterious effects on the field of human genetics, and upon the willingness of some disciplines to accept genetic contributions to the understanding of human behavior. Modern thinking in behavioral genetics rejects the Nature-Nurture dichotomy as incorrect and meaningless. The phenotype cannot be inherited; it develops as a function of interactions between the genotype and the environment. It is convenient to think of hereditary contributions to behavioral traits as fixing a reaction range; the genotype may be viewed as determining an indefinite but nevertheless circumscribed assortment of phenotypes. There have been numerous studies seeking to ascertain the genetic factors in a variety of mental disorders. The mental disorder most thoroughly studied from a genetic standpoint is schizophrenia. Three recent studies of adoptees, two in Denmark and one in America, have indicated the importance of hereditary factors in schizophrenia. Biological relatives of adoptees diagnosed as schizophrenic were more likely themselves to have suffered schizophrenic-spectrum disorders than were biological relatives of non-schizophrenic adoptees. Adoptees whose biological parents were schizophrenic or manic depressive were more likely to themselves be diagnosed schizophrenic than were adoptees whose biological parents had no psychiatric history. Children born to hospitalized schizophrenic women and who were placed for adoption shortly after birth were more likely to be schizophrenic than were matched control adoptees born to non-schizophrenic mothers. In studies conducted in Denmark, Schulsinger has also employed the adoptee method in studies of psychopathy. Diagnostic criteria were developed to reliably identify 57 cases of psychopathy from among 507 adoptees with known mental disorders. A non-psychopathic group of matched control adoptees was also formed. Mental illness among the relatives of these adoptee cases (biological and adoptive relatives) was ascertained through a careful search of psychiatric records. Psychopathic spectrum disorders were found to be more than twice as prevalent among biological relatives of the psychopathic index cases than was the case for biological relatives of the control cases. The percentage of affected cases among adoptive relatives was nearly equal for both study groups. Thus, this study provides a demonstration of the possible importance of genetic factors in the etiology of psychopathy. Other attempts to assess hereditary and constitutional aspects of criminal behavior have been made. These include twin studies and also Eysenck's study of the heritability of behavioral traits including extraversion, introversion, and emotionality.

Adoption↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Age differences in the heritability of mean and intraindividual variation of psychological distress.

BACKGROUND: An important question in the study of intraindividual variability is whether the same explanatory mechanisms govern between person variation and within person variation. OBJECTIVE: This paper investigates genetic and environmental influences on affect across varying time frames and genetic and environmental influences on within person variation in affect. METHODS: Twin participants aged 25-74 years provided information on their affective experiences over monthly, weekly, and daily recall periods. Questionnaires and daily telephone interviews were used to assess frequency of negative emotions. RESULTS: Monthly, weekly, and daily reports of negative affect all showed modest genetic influence. Monthly and daily measures also demonstrated modest shared environmental influence. Sibling resemblance in within-person variation in affect was accounted for entirely by shared environment. Tests for age differences in magnitude of genetic and environmental effects revealed that genetic influences on monthly reports of affect were greater among older adults, but genetic influences on daily affective experiences were lower among older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Lowered heritability in daily affect among older adults contradicts standard behavior genetic expectations, and is consistent with the proposition that older adults gain skills in emotion regulation.

Adult↗