To date, several genes have been the target of study: SLC6A4 (serotonin transporter) for cognitive flexibility 7 and social gaze 8 in macaques, SLC6A4 and TPH2 (tryptophan hydroxylase 2) for affiliative tendencies 9 in macaques, and AVPR1A (arginine vasopressin receptor 1A) for sociality 10 and mirror self-recognition 11 in chimpanzees. In this strategy, researchers predetermine the genes of interest and explore the cognitive aspects associated with the polymorphisms of the target genes. Cognitive genomics research has the potential to determine the individual variation in cognitive traits in genetic terms, which in turn may not only help to develop animal models of mental disorders, but also promote an understanding of the evolutionary trajectories of gene-cognition associations.Ĭognitive genomics research in nonhuman primates has mainly taken a ‘genotype-driven’ approach 6. This advancement has led to the development of an interdisciplinary field of science called cognitive genomics 2, 3, 5. Recent advances in high-throughput technologies have made it possible, with significantly lower costs, to determine the whole-genome sequences of individuals. Clarifying the genomic basis of higher cognitive functions has been a longstanding interest in genome science.
This phenotype-driven strategy in cognitive genomics provides a useful means to clarify the genetic basis of phenotypic variation and develop macaque models of neuropsychiatric disorders.Ĭognitive skills and their underlying neural architecture are under genetic influence 1, 2, 3, 4. Exome analyses revealed that the two monkeys were most likely cousins and shared variants in MAP2, APOC1, and potentially HTR2C. The other monkey showed heightened visual responsiveness in both frontal cortex and dopamine-rich midbrain, with a lack of inter-areal synchronization. In one monkey, mirror neurons were fewer compared to controls and mu suppression was absent in the frontal cortex. Two monkeys, originally involved in separate psychological studies, exhibited learning delay and low levels of social performance monitoring. Here we show that an inverse strategy is feasible to identify novel candidate genes for particular neuro-cognitive phenotypes in macaques. Cognitive genomics research explores the triadic relationship between genes, brain, and cognition, with its major strategy being genotype-driven. Cognitive skills and the underlying neural architecture are under the influence of genetics.
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