Abstract
We investigated the association between repeat polymorphism in intron 4 of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene and two personality traits, activity-impulsivity and inattention, in German Shepherd Dogs. The behaviour of 104 dogs was characterized by two instruments: (1) the previously validated Dog-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (Dog-ADHD RS) filled in by the dog owners and (2) the newly developed Activity-impulsivity Behavioural Scale (AIBS) containing four subtests, scored by the experimenters. Internal consistency, inter-observer reliability, test-retest reliability and convergent validity were demonstrated for AIBS.Dogs possessing at least one short allele were proved to be more active-impulsive by both instruments, compared to dogs carrying two copies of the long allele (activity-impulsivity scale of Dog-ADHD RS: p = 0.007; AIBS: p = 0.023). The results have some potential to support human studies; however, further research should reveal the molecular function of the TH gene variants, and look for the effect in more breeds.
Highlights
Canine and human behaviour were shaped by similar evolutionary processes, dogs demonstrate a complex level of similarity with humans in a set of functionally shared behavioural features
By using the Dog-ADHD RS [10] we found that police German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) possessing at least one 3a allele in dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) exon 3 showed significantly higher scores on the activity-impulsivity scale than dogs lacking this allele [19]
The mean scores of the Dog-ADHD RS subscales and the Activity-impulsivity Behavioural Scale (AIBS) behavioural variables are presented in Table 1 and Table 2
Summary
Canine and human behaviour were shaped by similar evolutionary processes, dogs demonstrate a complex level of similarity with humans in a set of functionally shared behavioural features (reviewed in [1]). Due to a mixture of both homologies and analogies at different levels of biological organisations like genes and behaviour traits, dogs could serve as a useful model for studying the genetic background of complex human behavioural diseases [2,3,4,5,6,7]. A widely-used method involves relying on breed stereotypes provided by experts such as dog-trainers [8,9], but to reveal a valid association between behaviour and genetic factors, direct and precise behavioural phenotyping at the individual level is definitely as important as accurate genotyping. The Dog-ADHD Rating Scale (Dog-ADHD RS) showed satisfactory test-retest and interobserver reliability, internal consistency, and external validity. This finding was recently replicated on a large, predominantly North American sample [12]
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