@article{LineBarkusCoyleetal.2011, author = {Line, Samantha J. and Barkus, Christopher and Coyle, Clare and Jennings, Katie A. and Deacon, Robert M. and Lesch, Klaus P. and Sharp, Trevor and Bannerman, David M.}, title = {Opposing alterations in anxiety and species-typical behaviours in serotonin transporter overexpressor and knockout mice}, series = {European Neuropsychopharmacology}, volume = {21}, journal = {European Neuropsychopharmacology}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1016/j.euroneuro.2010.08.005}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-141222}, pages = {108-116}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Human gene association studies have produced conflicting findings regarding the relationship between the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) and anxiety. In the present study genetically modified mice were utilised to examine the effects of changes in 5-HTT expression on anxiety. In addition, the influence of 5-HTT expression on two innate "species-typical" behaviours (burrowing and marble burying) and body weight was explored. Across a range of models, 5-HTT overexpressing mice displayed reduced anxiety-like behaviour whilst 5-HTT knockout mice showed increased anxiety-like behaviour, compared to wildtype controls. In tests of species-typical behaviour 5-HTT overexpressing mice showed some facilitation whilst 5-HTT knockout mice were impaired. Reciprocal effects were also seen on body weight, as 5-HTT overexpressors were lighter and 5-HTT knockouts were heavier than wildtype controls. These findings show that variation in 5-HTT gene expression produces robust changes in anxiety and species-typical behaviour. Furthermore, the data add further support to findings that variation of 5-HTT expression in the human population is linked to changes in anxiety-related personality traits.}, language = {en} }