Link between Genes and Behavior

Link between Genes and Behavior

Introduction

In the past decades, various studies tried to determine the link between genes and social behavior. In this paper, I will emphasize on two influences that explain our understanding of genes and behavior. The first proof is that social information changes gene implementation in the brain, which in turn influences behavior. Secondly, variations in the gene structure influence the functions of the brain, along with a change in the social behavior.

Gene Expression and Social Influences

The relationship between genes and social behavior is widely debated, with some researchers favoring nature, and others siding with nature (Robinson, 2004). This debate is never ending because the relationship between genes and social behavior is complex, involving physiology, evolution and developmental science. The relationship between genes and behavior is indirect, with our nervous system linking the two systems.

The first research which linked gene expression to social behavior involved the study of songbirds (Mello et al., 1992). It was determined that familiarity with the tone of the song causes a change in behavior, and pure tones produce no response (Dong and Clayton, 2008). The birds responded differently when they faced an audience as compared to when they were alone, which provides a neuro-molecular evidence of the environmental effect (Vignal et al., 2005).

Studies involving swordtail fish recognized change in the genome pattern after it experienced many social circumstances (Cummings et al., 2008). When experiments conducted on the zebra finch's song recognition skill, it was determined that thousands of RNAs increased or decreased when a novel song was played (Replogle et al., 2008). These studies suggest that social interactions affect the gene expression. These changes are not simple activation of some genes but involve changes in the nuerogenomic states.

Another study, which focused the upbringing of rats, provided ...