Genetic contributions to generalized arousal of brain and behavior.
We have identified a generalized arousal component in the behavior of mice. Analyzed by mathematical/statistical approaches across experiments, investigators, and mouse populations, it accounts for about 1/3 of the variance in arousal-related measures. Knockout of the gene coding for the classical estrogen receptor (ER-alpha), a ligand-activated transcription factor, greatly reduced arousal responses. In contrast, disrupting the gene for a likely gene duplication product, ER-beta, did not have these effects. A combination of mathematical and genetic approaches to arousal in an experimentally tractable mammal opens up analysis of a CNS function of considerable theoretical and practical significance.
Garey
J
J
Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Goodwillie
A
A
Frohlich
J
J
Morgan
M
M
Gustafsson
J-A
JA
Smithies
O
O
Korach
K S
KS
Ogawa
S
S
Pfaff
D W
DW
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005823:Genetics; D051379:Mice; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal