Motor activity and the mesotelencephalic dopamine function. I. High-resolution temporal and genetic analysis of open-field behavior.
In a genetic selection experiment whose goal was to construct congenic neurological animal model lines with different mesotelencephalic dopamine systems, we produced foundation F2 generations derived from crosses (C57BL/6ByJXBALB/cJ and C57BL/6ByJXCXBI/ByJ) between highly inbred mouse lines with different dopamine systems. In this report, temporal distribution, latency, and genetic variability of open-field (OF) behavioral variables were investigated in order to establish a behavioral profile for the various generations and to provide behavioral data as a first step towards multivariate studies on correlations between OF behaviors and mesencephalic and striatal tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Analysis of the behavioral data provided evidence that measures of the open-field behaviors varied significantly across time segments of the test and that the temporal profiles of several behavioral variables were genotype-dependent. It is suggested that (1) OF behaviors have dynamic temporal profiles, and (2) temporal-genetic analysis can be a useful auxiliary method in the functional interpretation of behavior.
Laboratory of Neurobehavior Genetics, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962.
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Vadasz
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Kobor
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Lajtha
D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000201:enzymology; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology
D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine