Genes, Brain Function, and Behavior

Genes, Brain Function, and Behavior offers a concise description of the nervous system that processes sensory input and initiates motor movements. It reviews how behaviors are defined and measured, and how experts decide when a behavior is perturbed and in need of treatment. Behavioral disorders that are clearly related to a defect in a specific gene are reviewed, and the challenges of understanding complex traits such as intelligence, autism and schizophrenia that involve numerous genes and environmental factors are explored. New methods of altering genes offer hope for treating or even preventing difficulties that arise in our genes. This book explains what genes are, what they do in the nervous system, and how this impacts both brain function and behavior.

• Presents essential background, facts, and terminology about genes, brain function, and behavior
• Builds clear explanations on this solid foundation while minimizing technical jargon
• Explores in depth several single-gene and chromosomal neurological disorders
• Derives lessons from these clear examples and highlights key lessons in boxes
• Examines the intricacies of complex traits that involve multiple genetic and environmental factors by applying lessons from simpler disorders
• Explains diagnosis and definition
• Includes a companion website with Powerpoint slides and images for each chapter for instructors and links to resources

Neuroscientists, neurobiologists, neuro-oncologists, neurologists, post-doctoral fellows, researchers, graduate students in biological and biomedical sciences

1. Levels of explanation
2. Genes
3. Gene expression
4. Nervous system
5. Brain development
6. Behavior
7. Single gene transmission and expression
8. Phenylketonuria – recessive expression
9. Huntington disease – dominant expression
10. Androgen insensitivity syndrome – X-linked transmission
11. Leber’s optic neuritis – mitochondrial transmission
12. Down syndrome – trisomy 21
13. XYY male
14. Complex traits
15. Intelligence
16. Autism spectrum disorder
17. Schizophrenia
18. Sex and gender
19. Race
20. Applications and ethics; dignity and human rights