Abstract
Repertoires of grooming behaviors critical to survival are exhibited by most animal species, including humans. Genes that influence this complex behavior are unknown. We report that mice with disruptions of Hoxb8 show, with 100% penetrance, excessive grooming leading to hair removal and lesions. Additionally, these mice excessively groom normal cagemates. We have been unable to detect any skin or PNS abnormalities in Hoxb8 mutants. These observations suggest that the excessive, pathological grooming exhibited by these mice results from CNS abnormalities. Consistent with this interpretation, we demonstrate Hoxb8 expression in regions of the adult mouse CNS previously implicated in the control of grooming. The aberrant behavior observed in Hoxb8 mutants is not unlike that of humans suffering from the OC-spectrum disorder, trichotillomania. Interestingly, Hoxb8 is expressed in regions of the CNS known as the "OCD-circuit."
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Aging / genetics
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Aging / metabolism
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Alleles
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Animals
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Animals, Newborn
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Behavior, Animal / physiology
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Bone and Bones / abnormalities
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Brain / embryology
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Brain / metabolism*
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Brain / physiopathology
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Brain Chemistry / genetics*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Female
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Genotype
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Grooming / physiology*
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
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Male
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Mice
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Mice, Knockout
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Mice, Neurologic Mutants / abnormalities*
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Mice, Neurologic Mutants / genetics
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Mice, Neurologic Mutants / metabolism
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Nerve Net / embryology
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Nerve Net / growth & development
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Nerve Net / metabolism
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / genetics*
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / metabolism
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / physiopathology
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Phenotype
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Skin / metabolism
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Skin / pathology
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Skin / physiopathology
Substances
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Hoxb8 protein, mouse
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RNA, Messenger