# Molecular Mechanisms of Social Behavior

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN · 2024 · $119,263

## Abstract

Abstract
Multiple human psychiatric disorders are associated with unusual social behaviors related to aggression,
anxiety, and affiliation. Although the genetic component of these disorders is well established, their inheritance
is complex and identification of the causative genes is often extremely difficult. The growth of phenotypic and
genetic information, however, revealed that unusual behaviors observed in these disorders often represent the
extreme ends of behavioral variation observed in the general population, suggesting that genes implicated in
social behavior in unaffected population also influence disorder risk and symptom severity. To identify the
genes and pathways disturbed in psychiatric disorders, an understanding of the molecular basis of mammalian
social behavior would provide a crucial step forward.
The goals of this project are to resolve differences in affiliation, aggression, and anxiety-like behaviors
segregating in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with the intent of providing valuable insights into the mechanisms
underlying a broad range of mammalian social behaviors, including human psychiatric disorders. The
behavioral differences between artificially selected fox populations have significant parallels to behaviors
modified in human neurological disorders. These populations are well prepared for genetic, molecular, and
cellular studies of social behavior and represent a unique, novel, and significant large animal model. The
identification of molecular mechanisms influencing social behavior in foxes is expected to provide new insights
into human disorders of social behavior and facilitate integration of human and rodent studies, thereby leading
to the development of potential therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11037592
- **Project number:** 3R35GM144276-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
- **Principal Investigator:** ANNA KUKEKOVA
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $119,263
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-08-15 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11037592

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11037592, Molecular Mechanisms of Social Behavior (3R35GM144276-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11037592. Licensed CC0.

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