1. Frontiers in behavioural neuroscience: a head first approach to breeding training and management Dr Andrew Hemmings

2. Indiscriminate selection strategies….

3. A more targeted approach to breeding & management? 1.Genetic prediction of muscle characteristics 2.Genetic prediction of brain function and behaviour 3.Behavioural predictors of brain function and health status

4. 1) Genetic prediction of muscle characteristics

5. Myostatin, an important growth regulator of muscle………….

6. Mysostatin Gene- Horses have 2 copies….

7. furlongs Best Racing Distance C:C

8. furlongs Best Racing Distance T:T

9. furlongs Best Racing Distance C:T

10. 2) Genetic prediction of brain function and behaviour

11. Which genes influence behaviour? Firstly which brain structures are most important? Nucleus Accumbens Caudatus Putamen Caudatus Nucleus Accumbens Putamen Ventral Tegmental Area dopamine

12. NAVTA Dopamine Receptor (D1 D2 D3 D4 & D5 subtypes) Dopamine All dopamine receptors will have a corresponding gene (DRD1-5)……… Dopamine receptors; a closer look…….. DRD4 produces D4 dopamine receptor NA

13. DRD4 Receptor Gene Variants AGAATGGTCATGATCTTGCTGTAACC A TCCCAAGACCAGGAGAAGATGGGCTGGTAAGTGATAAATG AGAATGGTCATGATCTTGCTGTAACC G TCCCAAGACCAGGAGAAGATGGGCTGGTAAGTGATAAATG AA Low Curiosity High Vigilance GG High Curiosity Low Vigilance (Momozawa et al., 2005)

14. 3) Behavioural predictors of brain function and health status Endophenotype An early indicator of adult behavioural characteristics…..

15. Behavioural Switching a b b Behavioural Switching Frequency (Roberts and Hemmings 2015) Crib-BitingControl Weaving Endophenotype for stereotypy ?

16. Eye Blink Rate Blink Rate Anxiety Docility Blink Rate (Roberts & Hemmings [Submitted]) Anxiety & Docility

17. Cushings Syndrome - Eye Blink Rate (Stephenson et al., 2014) ** Endophenotype for disease ?

18. Cognitive Testing

20. Learning Differences Crib-biting (n=10) Control (n=10) (Hemmings and Hale 2015) Un-reinforced Button Presses (Mean +/- SEM Extinction Learning Trends

21. Looking towards the next decade and beyond....... Full suite of behavioural tests Genetic prediction tools ~A HEAD FIRST APPROACH TO BREEDING & MANAGEMENT ~ Thanks for Listening