Hoxb8 is required for normal grooming behavior in mice.

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Publication Type Journal Article
School or College College of Science; School of Medicine
Department Oncological Sciences; Biology; Human Genetics
Program Institute of Human Genetics; Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
Creator Capecchi, Mario R.
Other Author Greer, Joy M.
Title Hoxb8 is required for normal grooming behavior in mice.
Date 2002-01-03
Description Repertoires of grooming behaviors critical to survival are exhibited by most animal species, including humans. Genes that influence this complex behavior are unknown. We report that mice with disruptions of Hoxb8 show, with 100% penetrance, excessive grooming leading to hair removal and lesions. Additionally, these mice excessively groom normal cagemates. We have been unable to detect any skin or PNS abnormalities in Hoxb8 mutants. These observations suggest that the excessive, pathological grooming exhibited by these mice results from CNS abnormalities. Consistent with this interpretation, we demonstrate Hoxb8 expression in regions of the adult mouse CNS previously implicated in the control of grooming. The aberrant behavior observed in Hoxb8 mutants is not unlike that of humans suffering from the OC-spectrum disorder, trichotillomania. Interestingly, Hoxb8 is expressed in regions of the CNS known as the "OCD-circuit.
Type Text
Publisher Cell Press
Volume 33
Issue 1
First Page 23
Last Page 34
Subject Aging; Alleles; Animals, Newborn; Behavior, Animal; Bone and Bones; Disease Models, Animal; Mice, Knockout Nerve Net
Subject MESH Brain Chemistry; Grooming; Homeodomain Proteins; Mice, Neurologic Mutants; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation Neuron. 2002 Jan 3;33(1):23-34. Greer JM, Capecchi MR. Hoxb8 is required for normal grooming behavior in mice. Retrieved on November 1 2006 from http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0896627301005645.
Rights Management Copyright © 2002 Cell Press. All rights reserved.
Format Medium application/pdf
Identifier ir-main,543
ARK ark:/87278/s63j3x7d
Setname ir_uspace
ID 704020
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s63j3x7d
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