A Simple Genetic Basis for a Complex Psychological Trait in Laboratory Mice

• DOI: 10.1126/science.7660127
• Publication Date: 2006-10-27T18:19:42Z
• Authors: Jonathan Flint; Robin Corley; John C. DeFries; David W. Fulker; Jeffrey A. Gray; Stacey Miller; Allan C. Collins
• Keywords: Trait; Trait anxiety; Behavioural genetics

Psychological traits are commonly inferred from covariation in sets of behavioral measures that otherwise appear to have little common. Emotionality mice is such a trait, defined here by activity and defecation novel environment emergence into the open arms an elevated plus maze. Behavioral quantitative trait analyses were conducted on four obtained 879 F2 intercross. Three loci, murine chromosomes 1, 12, 15, mapped influence emotionality. This studies strain, sex, individual differences rodents, may be related human susceptibility anxiety or neuroticism.