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Gene-independent heritability of behavioural traits: Don't we also need to rethink the “environment”?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2012

Christian P. Müller ,
Bernd Lenz  and
Johannes Kornhuber
Christian P. Müller
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. [email protected]@[email protected]://www.psychiatrie.uk-erlangen.de/wir_ueber_uns/mitarbeiter/prof_dr_rer_nat_christian_p_mueller/index_ger.html
Bernd Lenz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. [email protected]@[email protected]://www.psychiatrie.uk-erlangen.de/wir_ueber_uns/mitarbeiter/prof_dr_rer_nat_christian_p_mueller/index_ger.html
Johannes Kornhuber
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. [email protected]@[email protected]://www.psychiatrie.uk-erlangen.de/wir_ueber_uns/mitarbeiter/prof_dr_rer_nat_christian_p_mueller/index_ger.html
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Abstract

Behavioural phenotypes have been explained by genetic and environmental factors (E) and their interaction. Here we suggest a rethinking of the E factor. Passively incurred environmental influences (Epass) and actively copied information and behaviour (Eact) may be distinguished at shared and non-shared level. We argue that Eact underlies mutation and selection and is the base of gene-independent heritability.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 35 , Issue 5 , October 2012 , pp. 374 - 375
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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