[Genetic-biochemical analysis of the shuttle-box behavior of 2 inbred strains of mice differing in brain protein S-100 content. I. Neurospecific protein S-100 and learning].

A hybridological analysis of a mode of inheritance of two characters: biochemical (brain S-100 protein level) and behavioral (rate of active avoidance conditioned reflex formation in a shuttle box), in mice of inbred strains DBA/2J and AKR/J characterized by respectively high and low levels of these characters. The high concentration of water soluble S-100 protein in whole brain is a recessive character. The inheritance of total S-100 protein in whole brain and of the level of its water soluble fraction in brain cortex and hippocampus is complex. In all hybrids of a given couple of parents from different strains, dominance and over-dominance of a low rate of the formation of the conditioned reflex takes place. No sex differences in the avoidance level were found. Neurospecific S-100 protein content correlates positively with the rate of active avoidance conditioned reflex formation.