24.5 genetic regulation of social attachment behaviors

Devastating conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia manifest with a dramatic disruption and persistent collapse of interpersonal interactions early in life, and social functioning is a key predictor of outcome. It has been difficult to study social attachment because traditional genetic lab model animals do not exhibit adult social attachment behaviors. Thus, the analysis of social attachment has been resistant to genetic and neurobiological approaches. Prairie voles, in contrast, display social attachment as adults such that mating partners form an enduring pair bond and display complex attachment behaviors, such as social monogamy and biparental care.
Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Symposium 24 Source Type: research