Genes and social behavior - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

Genes and social behavior

Gene E Robinson et al. Science. 2008.

Abstract

What genes and regulatory sequences contribute to the organization and functioning of neural circuits and molecular pathways in the brain that support social behavior? How does social experience interact with information in the genome to modulate brain activity? Here, we address these questions by highlighting progress that has been made in identifying and understanding two key "vectors of influence" that link genes, the brain, and social behavior: (i) Social information alters gene expression in the brain to influence behavior, and (ii) genetic variation influences brain function and social behavior. We also discuss how evolutionary changes in genomic elements influence social behavior and outline prospects for a systems biology of social behavior.

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Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1. Complex relationships connect genes, the brain, and social behavior

These relationships operate over three time scales: (i) physiological time via effects on brain activity (solid lines), (ii) developmental time via slower effects on brain development and genome modification (dotted lines), and (iii) evolutionary time via the processes of natural selection (dashed line). Arrow colors refer to Figs. 2 and 3 (pink, Fig. 2; blue, Fig. 3), which provide details about the nature of these interactions. Images depict some of the animals and genes featured in this review, clockwise from top: zebra finch (T. guttata), cichlid fish (A. burtoni), honey bee (A. mellifera), fruit fly (D. melanogaster), prairie vole (M. ochrogaster), rat (R. norvegicus), and fire ant (S. invicta). The genes listed (in italics on the photographs) are responsive to social interactions as described in the text.

Figure 2

Figure 2. Vector 1: From social information to changes in brain function and behavior

Social information is perceived by sensory systems and transduced into responses in the brain. Social information leads to developmental influences often mediated by parental care, as well as acute changes in gene expression that cause diverse effects (e.g., changes in metabolic states, synaptic connections, and transcriptional networks). Social information also can cause epigenetic modifications in the genome. Variation in both environment (_V_E) and genotype (_V_G) influences how social information is received and transduced and how these factors themselves interact (_V_E × _V_G).

Figure 3

Figure 3. Vector 2: From genes to social behavior

Genes influence the social behavior of an individual through their effects on brain development and physiology. This linkage is sensitive to both genetic (_V_G) and environmental (_V_E) variation and to their interactions (_V_G × _V_E).

References

    1. Robinson GE. Science. 2004;304:397–399. -PubMed
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    1. Ruan H, Wu CF. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2008;105:7506–7510. -PMC -PubMed
    1. Robinson GE, Grozinger CM, Whitfield CW. Nature Rev Gen. 2005;6:1–15. -PubMed
    1. Young LJ, Nilsen R, Waymire KG, MacGregor GR, Insel TR. Nature. 1999;400:766–768. -PubMed

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