The Effect of Fostering on the Genetic Expression of Locomotor Sensitivity to Alcohol

摘要

Stepsweretakentoeradicateendemicmousecoronavirusfromacolonythatwaspartofabehavioralprojectcharacterizingthegeneticsofalcoholsensitivity.Thisbehavioralstudywasconductedtodeterminewhetherchangingtheuterineorrearingenvironment(asisintegraltocommonrederivationmethods)wouldhaveasignificanteffectontheexpressionofthebehavioraltraitsinquestion.Selectedbreedingpairsoftheaffectedlinesweredividedintofourtreatmentgroups:1)transferofembryostopseudopregnantB6D2F1femalemice,2)fosteringoffspringtoB6D2F1dams,3)fosteringoffspringtoadifferentdamofthesameline,and4)offspringraisedbythebirthdam.Embryotransfersweresuccessfulonlyinoneaffectedline.Atapproximately50daysofage,theoffspringweretestedforlocomotorbehaviorafterintraperitonealadministrationofethanolornormalsaline.Therewerenostatisticallysignificanteffectsofembryotransferontheethanolphenotype(ethanol-inducedlocomotordepression).Fosteringsignificantlyreducedthestimulantresponsetoethanolofonlyonemouselineselectivelybredforhighsensitivitytoethanol-inducedstimulation,althoughthestimulantresponseofthefosteredgroupswasstillquiterobust.Overall,theresultsofthisstudyshowedthateradicationeffortsinvolvingfosteringofoffspringhaveamodestimpactonthestimulantresponsetoethanol,buttherewereinsufficientdatatodrawconclusionsregardingtheuseofembryotransfer.