Genetic influences on receptive joint attention in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic influences on receptive joint attention in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

AU - Hopkins, William D

AU - Keebaugh, Alaine C

AU - Reamer, Lisa A

AU - Schaeffer, Jennifer

AU - Schapiro, Steve

AU - Young, Larry J

PY - 2014/1/20

Y1 - 2014/1/20

N2 - Despite their genetic similarity to humans, our understanding of the role of genes on cognitive traits in chimpanzees remains virtually unexplored. Here, we examined the relationship between genetic variation in the arginine vasopressin V1a receptor gene (AVPR1A) and social cognition in chimpanzees. Studies have shown that chimpanzees are polymorphic for a deletion in a sequence in the 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A, DupB, which contains the variable RS3 repetitive element, which has been associated with variation in social behavior in humans. Results revealed that performance on the social cognition task was significantly heritable. Furthermore, males with one DupB(+) allele performed significantly better and were more responsive to socio-communicative cues than males homozygous for the DupB- deletion. Performance on a non-social cognition task was not associated with the AVPR1A genotype. The collective findings show that AVPR1A polymorphisms are associated with individual differences in performance on a receptive joint attention task in chimpanzees.

AB - Despite their genetic similarity to humans, our understanding of the role of genes on cognitive traits in chimpanzees remains virtually unexplored. Here, we examined the relationship between genetic variation in the arginine vasopressin V1a receptor gene (AVPR1A) and social cognition in chimpanzees. Studies have shown that chimpanzees are polymorphic for a deletion in a sequence in the 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A, DupB, which contains the variable RS3 repetitive element, which has been associated with variation in social behavior in humans. Results revealed that performance on the social cognition task was significantly heritable. Furthermore, males with one DupB(+) allele performed significantly better and were more responsive to socio-communicative cues than males homozygous for the DupB- deletion. Performance on a non-social cognition task was not associated with the AVPR1A genotype. The collective findings show that AVPR1A polymorphisms are associated with individual differences in performance on a receptive joint attention task in chimpanzees.

KW - Animals

KW - Cognition

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Pan troglodytes

KW - Polymorphism, Genetic

KW - Receptors, Vasopressin

KW - Sequence Deletion

KW - Social Behavior

U2 - 10.1038/srep03774

DO - 10.1038/srep03774

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24440967

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 4

SP - 1

EP - 7

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

M1 - 3774

ER -