Dopamine D4 receptor genotype variation in free-ranging rhesus macaques and its association with juvenile behavior.

A polymorphism in the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene has been associated with significant variation in behavioral impulsivity, novelty-seeking, and risk-taking in humans and other animals. Rhesus macaques are an excellent animal model for research on the genetic basis of behavior using the candidate gene approach. Little is known, however, about allelic variation in DRD4 in large free-ranging populations of rhesus macaques and how this allelic variation relates to emotion regulation and behavior.