メディエイゴ

First, he discovered a gene(1) that controls innate(2) fear in animals. Now Rutgers geneticist(3) Gleb Shumyatsky has shown that the same gene promotes “helicopter mom(4)” behavior(5) in mice(6). The gene, known as stathmin(7) or oncoprotein 18(8), motivates(9) female animals to protect newborn(10) pups(11) and interact(12) cautiously(13) with unknown peers(14).

This “fear gene” is highly concentrated in the amygdala(15), a key region of the brain(16) that deals with fear and anxiety(17). Shumyatsky’s newest finding could enhance(18) our understanding of human anxiety, including postpartum depression(19) and borderline personality disorders(20).

Shumyatsky is an assistant professor(21) of genetics(22) in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Working with female mice genetically engineered(23) to have an inactive(24) stathmin gene, Shumyatsky demonstrated that these mutant(25) mice were slow to retrieve(26) pups placed outside the nest at corners of the cage. Females with normally active(27) stathmin, however, were quick to bring similarly(28) dispersed(29) pups back to the nest. In another experiment, knockout(30) mice chose to rebuild(31) nests in more vulnerable(32) open spaces instead of in safe corners, where normal mice typically(33) build nests.

The abnormal(34) behavior, concludes Shumyatsky, is based on the mouse’s lack of fear – in this case, fear for the safety of pups in her care. Retrieving wayward(35) pups is a behavior motivated by innate fear of attack by predators(36), a likely outcome for wild pups that stray from(37) the relative safety of a nest.

“The human analog(38) might be parents on a playground with their children when it starts to thunder,” said Shumyatsky.