Hunting for Genes Underlying Emotionality in the Laboratory Rat: Maps, Tools and Traps

Area of Science:

• Behavioral genetics
• Neuroscience
• Genomics

Background:

• Investigating hereditary bases of behavior dates back to the 19th century.
• Early studies revealed the complexity of behavior due to numerous genes and environmental factors.
• Mendelian, quantitative, and molecular approaches advanced gene mapping for rodent behaviors.

Approach:

• This review focuses on the Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) strategy applied to studying emotionality in laboratory rats.
• It examines the application of QTL analyses combined with behavioral and molecular techniques for gene mapping.
• The discussion includes challenges, advancements, and limitations in identifying Quantitative Trait Genes (QTG) for emotionality.

Key Points:

• The journey from identifying emotionality-related behaviors to pinpointing specific genes has spanned 25 years.
• QTL analysis provides a framework for dissecting the genetic architecture of complex behaviors.
• The study illustrates the path toward molecular understanding of complex psychiatric illnesses.

Conclusions:

• The QTL strategy is crucial for understanding the genetic underpinnings of emotionality.
• Molecular insights into complex psychiatric disorders are advancing.
• New strategies involving humans, rodents, and zebrafish will accelerate future progress.