Genetic variation in the development of mouse brain and behavior: evidence from the middle postnatal period

Six inbred strains and 3 F2 hybrid crosses of mice were assessed for developmental status at 32 days after conception (about 13 days after birth). Phenotypes measured included body weight, brain weight, maturity of 14 reflexive behaviors, myelination of 80 fiber tracts, and thickness of the external granular layer of the cerebellum. All measures of brain and behavior showed a similar pattern of results: hybrids were generally more advanced than either of their inbred parent strains; differences among inbred strains were large, but differences among hybrid crosses were quite small. Acceleration of F2 mice compared to their homozygous relatives ranged from .5 to 2.4 days mean difference. Developmental ages of inbred litters ranged from 28.7 to 32.2 days, whereas hybrid litters ranged from 31.5 to 32.7 days.