Mice are often used in studying behavior because of their genetic similarities to humans, but whether the mouse engages in the same behavior as humans is not always clear. But a study of a gene implicated in anxiety suggests that not only are the behaviors similar, but the underlying mechanism is as well. Although the genetic variant appears to cause anxious behavior in both mice and humans, the genetic change actually caused an impairment in unlearning fearful stimuli, which makes it difficult for individuals to learn that a certain cue signals safety rather than threat.
The gene in question is called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and past studies have noted a link between BDNF variants and elevated anxiety-related behavior in mice. Scientists were unsure whether the same gene variant caused similar behavior in humans and how exactly it produced the overt behavioral changes.
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