The genetic basis of neuroticism

Gray has drawn upon genetic evidence to argue for the existence of rodent emotionality, a model of human neuroticism. With the advent of molecular mapping techniques it has become possible to test this hypothesis. Here I review the progress that has been made, largely in animal genetic studies, demonstrating that a common set of genes act pleiotropically on measures of emotionality. More recently, evidence has emerged supporting the view that the same genes influence variation in both rodent and human phenotypes. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.