Mouse Gene Controls Grooming

Utah researchers have discovered a gene that controls grooming in mice. When the gene is disabled, the team reported in the January issue of Neuron, the mice obsessively nibble and lick their fur until they grow bald and scarred. The gene, called Hoxb8, is one of a family that controls embryonic development. Researchers speculate that malfunctions in similar genes in humans could be responsible for obsessive-compulsive behavior, such as repeated hand-washing.

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Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II