Vasopressin Receptor Polymorphism and Social Cognition

描述（由申请人提供）：该提案的长期目标是了解黑猩猩社会交流行为和认知个体差异的遗传和神经生物学基础，黑猩猩是对自闭症表型进行建模的潜在有价值的物种。拟议研究的目的之一是对相对较大的黑猩猩样本（N = 290）进行行为特征描述，以评估它们在物种间交流期间发起和参与共同注意的能力，并根据两项结构化任务进行评估。此外，将使用观察方法在种间互动期间评估社交和沟通的衡量标准。除了行为测量之外，还将从每只黑猩猩中获取 DNA 样本和等位基因频率，并评估 AVPR1A（加压素）和 OXTR（催产素）基因的多态性变异。行为测量表现的变化将与这些基因的多态性变异以及非遗传因素（包括受试者的性别和早期抚养史）相关。这些分析将为遗传和非遗传因素对社会沟通能力个体差异的作用提供有价值的信息。体内磁共振图像也将在黑猩猩样本的子集中收集。通过 MRI，将使用全脑、基于体素的形态测量 (VBM) 来比较具有不同 AVPR1A 和 OXTR 基因基因型的受试者的灰质和白质完整性。该分析将提供有关这些基因对灰质和白质完整性发育组织的作用的关键数据。此外，基于 VBM 分析，区分不同基因型的感兴趣的大脑区域将被量化，并随后应用于单独的 MRI 扫描。然后将个体 MRI 测量值与行为表型相关联，以检查区分不同 AVPR1A 和 OXTR 基因型的大脑区域是否随后解释了社会沟通能力的变化。集体研究将有助于我们理解影响皮质组织和社会沟通能力的遗传和非遗传因素。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term objectives of this proposal are to understand the genetic and neurobiological basis of individual differences in socio-communicative behavior and cognition in the chimpanzee, a potential valuable species for modeling aspects of the autism phenotype. One aim of the proposed studies is to behavioral characterize a relatively large sample of chimpanzees (N = 290) on their ability to initiate and engage in joint attention during interspecies communication as assessed on two structured tasks. In addition, measures of sociality and communication will be evaluated during interspecies interaction using observational methods. In addition to the behavioral measures, DNA samples will be obtained from each chimpanzees and allele frequencies and assessment of polymorphic variation in the AVPR1A (vasopressin) and OXTR (oxytocin) genes. The variation in performance on the behavioral measures will be correlated with polymorphic variation in these genes as well as in relation to non-genetic factors including sex and early rearing history of the subjects. These analyses will provide valuable information on the role of genetic and non-genetic factors on individual differences in socio-communicative competencies. In vivo magnetic resonance images will also be collected in a subset of the chimpanzee sample. From the MRI, subjects with different genotypes for the AVPR1A and OXTR gene will be compared on grey and white matter integrity using whole brain, voxel-based morphometry (VBM). This analysis will provide critical data on the role of these genes on the development organization of grey and white matter integrity. In addition, based on the VBM analysis, brain regions of interest that distinguish different genotypes will be quantified and subsequently applied to individual MRI scans. The individual MRI measures will then be correlated with the behavioral phenotypes to examine whether the brain regions distinguishing different AVPR1A and OXTR genotypes subsequently explain variation in socio-communicative competencies. The collective studies will contribute to our understanding of genetic and non-genetic factors that influence cortical organization and socio-communicative competencies.