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Genes, Brain, and Behavior Jan 2019
Topics: Animals; Genetics, Behavioral; Genomics; Humans; Neurosciences; Social Behavior
PubMed: 30666807
DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12551 -
The Western Journal of Medicine Mar 1996
Topics: Genetics, Behavioral; Humans
PubMed: 8775943
DOI: No ID Found -
Twin Research and Human Genetics : the... Jun 2012This issue on the genetics of brain imaging phenotypes is a celebration of the happy marriage between two of science’s highly interesting fields: neuroscience and...
This issue on the genetics of brain imaging phenotypes is a celebration of the happy marriage between two of science’s highly interesting fields: neuroscience and genetics. The articles collected here are ample evidence that a good deal of synergy exists in this marriage. A wide selection of papers is presented that provide many different perspectives on how genes cause variation in brain structure and function, which in turn influence behavioral phenotypes (including psychopathology). They are examples of the many different methodologies in contemporary genetics and neuroscience research. Genetic methodology includes genome-wide association (GWA), candidate-gene association, and twin studies. Sources of data on brain phenotypes include cortical gray matter (GM) structural/volumetric measures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); white matter (WM)measures from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), such as fractional anisotropy; functional- (activity-) based measures from electroencephalography (EEG), and functional MRI (fMRI). Together, they reflect a combination of scientific fields that have seen great technological advances, whether it is the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array in genetics, the increasingly high-resolution MRI imaging, or high angular resolution diffusion imaging technique for measuring WM connective properties.
Topics: Brain; Functional Neuroimaging; Genetics, Behavioral; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Molecular Biology; Neuroimaging; Phenotype; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; Twin Studies as Topic
PubMed: 22856362
DOI: 10.1017/thg.2012.20 -
Reviews in the Neurosciences 2011The stress response is a normal reaction to a real or perceived threat. However, stress response systems that are overwhelmed or out of balance can increase both the... (Review)
Review
The stress response is a normal reaction to a real or perceived threat. However, stress response systems that are overwhelmed or out of balance can increase both the incidence and severity of diseases including addiction and mood and anxiety disorders. Using an animal model with both genetic diversity and large family size can help discover the specific genetic and environmental contributions to these behavioral diseases. The stress response has been studied extensively in teleosts because of their importance in food production. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a major model organism with a strong record for use in developmental biology, genetic screening, and genomic studies. More recently, the stress response of larval and adult zebrafish has been documented. High-throughput automated tracking systems make possible behavioral readouts of the stress response in zebrafish. This non-invasive measure of the stress response can be combined with mutagenesis methods to dissect the genes involved in complex stress response behaviors in vertebrates. Understanding the genetic and epigenetic basis for the stress response in vertebrates will help to develop advanced screening and therapies for stress-aggravated diseases such as addiction and mood and anxiety disorders.
Topics: Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Genetics, Behavioral; Humans; Mutagenesis; Stress, Psychological; Zebrafish; Zebrafish Proteins
PubMed: 21615261
DOI: 10.1515/RNS.2011.007 -
Social Science & Medicine (1982) Jun 2021The prospect of using behavioral genetic data in schools is gaining momentum in the U.S., with some scholars advocating for the tailoring of educational interventions to...
The prospect of using behavioral genetic data in schools is gaining momentum in the U.S., with some scholars advocating for the tailoring of educational interventions to students' genetic makeup ("precision education"). Public perspectives on testing for and using behavioral genetic data in schools can affect policies but are unknown. We explored public views in the U.S. (n = 419) on key issues in precision education. The introduction of a child's behavioral genetic information regarding Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disorder was associated with beliefs that such data should be considered in educational planning for the child and increased medicalization, but also a belief in treatment efficacy. Most participants expressed interest in learning about children's behavioral genetic predispositions but would disapprove of testing without parental consent. Differences by participants' race, ethnicity and educational attainment were observed. Our findings indicate the public's complex understanding of genetic information and the challenges for wide implementation of precision education in the U.S.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Child; Disabled Persons; Educational Status; Genetics, Behavioral; Humans; Schools; Students
PubMed: 33895581
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113924 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2022
PubMed: 35770055
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.917198 -
Genes, Brain, and Behavior Jan 2015The ability to examine epigenetic mechanisms in the brain has become readily available over the last 20 years. This has led to an explosion of research and interest in... (Review)
Review
The ability to examine epigenetic mechanisms in the brain has become readily available over the last 20 years. This has led to an explosion of research and interest in neural and behavioral epigenetics. Of particular interest to researchers, and indeed the lay public, is the possibility that epigenetic processes, such as changes in DNA-methylation and histone modification, may provide a biochemical record of environmental effects. This has led to some fascinating insights into how molecular changes in the brain can control behavior. However, some of this research has also attracted controversy and, as is dealt with here, some overblown claims. This latter problem is partly linked to the shifting sands of what is defined as 'epigenetics'. In this review, I provide an overview of what exactly epigenetics is, and what is hype, with the aim of opening up a debate as to how this exciting field moves forward.
Topics: Animals; Brain; DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Gene-Environment Interaction; Genetics, Behavioral; Humans
PubMed: 25346298
DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12184 -
Genes, Brain, and Behavior Dec 2004Mutant mice simulating human CNS disorders are used as models for therapeutic drug development. Drug evaluation requires a coherent correlation between behavioral... (Review)
Review
Mutant mice simulating human CNS disorders are used as models for therapeutic drug development. Drug evaluation requires a coherent correlation between behavioral phenotype and drug status. Variations in behavioral responses could mask such correlations, a problem highlighted by the three-site studies of Crabbe et al. (1999) and Wahlsten et al. (2003a). Factors contributing to variation are considered, focusing on differences between individual animals. Genetic differences due to minisatellite variation suggest that each mouse is genetically distinct. Effects during gestation, including maternal stress, influence later life behavior; while endocrine exchanges between fetus and parent, and between male and female fetuses dependent on intrauterine position, also contribute. Pre and perinatal nutrition and maternal attention also play a role. In adults, endocrine cyclicity in females is a recognized source of behavioral diversity. Notably, there is increasing recognition that groups of wild and laboratory mice have complex social structures, illustrated through consideration of Crowcroft (1966). Dominance status can markedly modify behavior in test paradigms addressing anxiety, locomotion and aggressiveness, to an extent comparable to mutation or drug status. Understanding how such effects amplify the behavioral spectrum displayed by otherwise identical animals will improve testing.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Female; Genetics, Behavioral; Genomic Imprinting; Hierarchy, Social; Individuality; Litter Size; Male; Mice; Mice, Mutant Strains; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Reproducibility of Results; Selection, Genetic; Territoriality
PubMed: 15544575
DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2004.00083.x -
Behavior Genetics May 2016A literature search was conducted to identify articles examining the association of chorionicity (e.g., whether twins share a single chorion and thus placenta or have... (Review)
Review
A literature search was conducted to identify articles examining the association of chorionicity (e.g., whether twins share a single chorion and thus placenta or have separate chorions/placentas) and genetics, psychiatry/behavior, and neurological manifestations in humans twins and higher-order multiples. The main aim was to assess how frequently chorionicity has been examined in relation to heritability estimates, and to assess which phenotypes may be most sensitive to, or affected by, bias in heritability estimates because of chorionicity. Consistent with the theory that some chorionicity effects could lead to overestimation and others to underestimation of heritability, there were instances of each across the many phenotypes reviewed. However, firm conclusions should not be drawn since some of the outcomes were only examined in one or few studies and often sample sizes were small. While the evidence for bias due to chorionicity was mixed or null for many outcomes, results do, however, consistently suggest that heritability estimates are underestimated for measures of birth weight and early growth when chorionicity is not taken into account.
Topics: Chorion; Female; Genetics, Behavioral; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; Twin Studies as Topic
PubMed: 26944881
DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9782-6 -
Current Biology : CB Mar 1996Four strains of 'knockout' mice, each with a different gene inactivated, have been found to show increased aggressive behavior. The generation of such knockout strains... (Review)
Review
Four strains of 'knockout' mice, each with a different gene inactivated, have been found to show increased aggressive behavior. The generation of such knockout strains and quantitative trait locus analysis will help identify the genetic determinants of this complex trait.
Topics: Aggression; Animals; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; Genetics, Behavioral; Mice; Monoamine Oxidase; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Receptors, Serotonin
PubMed: 8805235
DOI: 10.1016/s0960-9822(02)00466-9