Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Genetics, Behavioral”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,657 records · Page 92Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Clinical approach to mental retardation of genetic origin].

Etiological investigations of mental deficiencies and their syndromic analysis have greatly progressed with advancing knowledge in the field of genetics and the advent of new technical procedures. Fast diagnostic tests are now available for certain syndromes, particularly those related to micordeletions. Clinical diagnosis remains however the necessary prerequisite for ordering such tests. The clinical examination not only provides a detailed description of the physical condition, but also provides essential information on behavioral and cognitive disorders. Distinctive behavioral patterns observed in some syndromes are suggestive of a "behavioral phenotype". This pattern can be a valuable clue to diagnosis and also allows for early intervention and counselling specifically aimed at dealing with predicted behavioral abnormalities.

Behavior↗
PubMed2006

Holeboard discrimination learning in mice.

We have adapted to mice a holeboard-learning task, which allows simultaneous assessment of spatial working and reference-memory performance. The holeboard apparatus consists of an open-field chamber with a 16-hole floor insert. Across trials, animals have to learn that the same four holes of 16 are always baited. Here, we show that C57BL/6 mice readily acquire this task within 4 days when submitted to six trials per day or within 8 days when submitted to only four trials per day. We also show that C57BL/6, Swiss-Webster, CD-1 and DBA/2 mice acquire this task similarly, despite the fact that some differences could be observed in measures of exploratory activity during habituation and training. Moreover, the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine disrupts learning at doses of 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg, although the highest dose appeared to have side-effects. Lastly, we found that amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice have a selective disruption in their working-memory performance only during reversal training (i.e. after a change in the configuration of the baited holes). Overall, our data indicate that this spatial learning task is well adapted to mice and will be useful to characterize spatial memory in various genetic or pharmacological mouse models.

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗
PubMed2000

Neurochemical individuality: genetic diversity among human dopamine and serotonin receptors and transporters.

Behavioral variation in human beings encompasses wide differences in personality and susceptibility to psychiatric illness arising from both genotype and experience. Long-lasting behavioral differences generally have heritabilities of 30% or more, and such inheritance is ultimately attributable to functional variants of genes programming brain development and function. The sequencing of the human genome is revealing a pattern of gene sequence variation. The ability of sequence variants to affect neural function either alone or in concert may reveal effects of behavioral selection on the human genome over evolutionary time frames. Dopamine and serotonin are phylogenetically ancient neurotransmitters intrinsic to brain function and behavior. Dopamine and serotonin receptor and transporter genes have been an early focus for efforts to identify and functionally characterize sequence variation. The purpose of this article is to present a preview of a developing new perspective in human behavior: the genetic variation of the brain or neurochemical individuality. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57:1105-1114.

Brain↗
PubMed1986

The genetic architecture of behavioural responses to novelty in mice.

The genetic architectures of 12 behavioural variables measured in adult male mice placed in a novel environment were analysed in a replicated 4 X 4 diallel cross. The results were combined with those obtained in a classical cross involving two of the four strains. Based on the hypothesis of an evolutionary history of stabilising selection for mouse exploratory behaviour, we expected additive genetic effects and ambidirectional dominance. Such genetic architectures were actually found for those exploratory behaviours where epistatic effects were of minor importance. Similar findings emerged for some non-exploratory phenotypes. All behaviours analysed appeared to be polygenically controlled.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Research note: open-field behavior of Japanese quail chicks genetically selected for low or high plasma corticosterone response to immobilization stress.

Open-field behavior was examined in Japanese quail chicks genetically selected for either reduced (LS, low stress) or exaggerated (HS, high stress) plasma corticosterone response to immobilization stress. Chicks of the LS line showed less freezing and ambulated sooner than did their HS counterparts. These findings suggest that exposure to an open-field or novel environment elicited less fear in LS than in HS chicks. They also support the suggestion that fearfulness and adrenocortical activation are positively associated and indicate that selection for differential adrenocortical responsiveness exerted concomitant effects on fear-related behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Psychopathology through a life span-genetic prism.

The variation observed in individual differences for normal and psychopathological behaviors has genetic factors as a major contributor at the most distal end of a complex gene-to-behavior pathway. Research into the etiologies of such major mental diseases as schizophrenia is facilitated by adopting the approach used for complex adaptive systems as pursued by those who study coronary artery disease and diabetes. Putative risk factors for developing the liabilities to the major disorders can be inferred from population genetic strategies using twins, families, and adoptees. Weights to indicate the relative importance of such risk factors require a perspective from the use of effect sizes and odds ratios so as to make the most efficient use of scarce resources. The challenge to the field of psychology is to join in with cross-disciplinary ventures and to adapt to rapid changes with innovations in research strategies.

Genetics, Population↗
PubMed1976

Genetic differences in ethanol drinking of the rat following injection of 6-OHDA, 5,6-DHT or 5,7-DHT into the cerebral ventricles.

The preference characteristics for ethanol of four different strains of rats were determined in a two-choice situation by offering water and ethanol in a concentration which was increased from 3 to 30% over a 12-day test sequence. Using stereotaxic procedures, 50 mug 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT), 200 mug 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or 100 mug 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) were then injected acutely into the lateral cerebral ventricle in a 20 mul volume. Rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain increased their ethanol preference following the lesioning of the serotonergic system by 5,6-DHT, whereas similar destruction of catecholaminergic neurons by 6-OHDA markedly suppressed ethanol intake; Long-Evans rats displayed a similar trend in ethanol drinking patterns. However, animals of the Holtzman strain manifested the increased drinking after 5,6-DHT, but showed no suppression of drinking following 6-OHDA. The preference of rats of the Wistar strain was unaffected by 5,6-DHT but attenuated by 6-OHDA. 5,7-DHT had little or no effect on ethanol consumption in any of these strains. These findings thus suggest that genetic factors are an important determinant in an animal's response to a drug that affects 5-HT or NE systems in the brain, particularly when ethanol selection is investigated.

5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine↗
PubMed1998

Behavioural genetics: molecular genetics meets feeding ecology.

Fruit fly larvae occur as either 'rovers', which move a long way to find food, or 'sitters', which stay within a more restricted area. This polymorphism is determined by alleles of a cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase gene; rovers are at an advantage in crowded populations, while sitters have the edge at low population density.

Alleles↗
PubMed2004

Association study of serotonin 1B receptor (A-161T) genetic polymorphism and suicidal behaviors and response to fluoxetine in major depressive disorder.

Serotonin 1B receptors (5-HT1B) are autoreceptors involved in the local inhibitory control of serotonin release, and have been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and the antidepressant effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in patients. We genotyped the 5-HT1B A-161T polymorphism in 160 patients with MDD and 160 normal controls. We then tested the hypothesis that the allelic variant, A-161T, of the 5-HT1B gene confers susceptibility to MDD or is associated with suicide attempt. We also examined the association of this polymorphism with therapeutic response in 116 of the MDD patients who received fluoxetine treatment for 4 weeks. No significant difference was found in the A-161T genetic polymorphism between MDD patients and controls. The genotype distribution between patients with and without suicide attempt, or between fluoxetine treatment responders and nonresponders were also similar. Our findings suggest that 5-HT1B A-161T genetic polymorphism does not play a major role in the susceptibility to MDD, nor is it related to suicidal attempt or the therapeutic response to fluoxetine in MDD.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Molecular genetic approaches to the study of primate behavior, social organization, and reproduction.

In the past several decades, the development of novel molecular techniques and the advent of noninvasive DNA sampling, coupled with the ease and speed with which molecular analyses can now be performed, have made it possible for primatologists to directly examine the fitness effects of individual behavior and to explore how variation in behavior and social systems influences primate population genetic structure. This review describes the theoretical connections between individual behavior and primate social systems on the one hand and population genetic structure on the other, discusses the kinds of molecular markers typically employed in genetic studies of primates, and summarizes what primatologists have learned from molecular studies over the past few decades about dispersal patterns, mating systems, reproductive strategies, and the influence of kinship on social behavior. Several important conclusions can be drawn from this overview. First, genetic data confirm that, in many species, male dominance rank and fitness are positively related, at least over the short term, though this relationship need not simply be a reflection of male-male contest competition over mates. More importantly, genetic research reveals the significance of female choice in determining male reproductive success, and documents the efficacy of alternative mating tactics among males. Second, genetic data suggest that the presumed importance of kinship in structuring primate social relationships needs to be evaluated further, at least for some taxa such as chimpanzees in which demographic factors may be more important than relatedness. I conclude this paper by offering several suggestions of additional ways in which molecular techniques might be employed in behavioral and ecological studies of primates (e.g., for conducting "molecular censuses" of unhabituated populations, for studying disease and host-parasite interactions, or for tracking seed fate in studies of seed dispersal) and by providing a brief introduction to the burgeoning field of nonhuman primate behavioral genetics.

Animals↗
PubMed1973

Chromosomal control of mating activity in Drosophila pseudoobscura.

Lines containing two third-chromosome inversions (Arrowhead and Pikes Peak) of Drosophila pseudoobscura selected for fast and slow mating speed were crossed to a multichromosomal, dominant marker inversion stock, and strains with various combinations of chromosomal derivation were tested for their mating activity. When lines were selected isodirectionally with the known third-chromosome control, the third chromosome was found to possess major epistatic control over mating speed, followed by the fourth, with no appreciable effect from the first and second. However, polygenic modification mating activity was found throughout the genome when selection was applied opposite to the original third-chromosome control. The work reported here strengthens the evidence that the adaptive role of chromosomal polymorphism has a behavioral basis in mating activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Neural control of behavioral responses in the nudibranch mollusc Phestilla sibogae.

The tropical aeoliacean nudibranch Phestilla sibogae, has a number of large and reidentifiable neurons in its centrally located cerebral-pedal-pleural ganglion complex. In studies involving nearly intact animal preparations, neurons were identified which control specific movements of the dorsal cerata, the oral veil tentacles, and the margins of the foot. Responses of neurons to mechanical vibrations in the environment, and responses to light not mediated by the eyes are described. Finally, a pair of large cerebral neurons are identified that are superficially similar in structure, location, and function to the metacerebral giants found in several other opisthobranchs. These neurons are electrically coupled and control stereotyped movements of the mouth. These anatomical and neurophysiological features, when coupled with the fact that the generation time of Phestilla (30 days) is comparable to that of Drosophila suggests that this nudibranch may prove useful in combined studies of neurophysiology, behavior and genetics.

Animals↗