Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this study by Enoch A. Alex, Paul Gennotte, Eleanor Raffan, and colleagues conducted an extensive genetic analysis of behavioral variation in ~1,000 golden retrievers. Behavioral phenotypes were quantified using the widely validated Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ).
The team performed 14 genome-wide association studies (GWAS) across multiple behavioral traits, identifying 12 genome-wide significant loci (P < 2.97 × 10⁻⁶) and 9 suggestive loci (P < 1 × 10⁻⁵). These loci were linked to 8 distinct behavioral traits, including aggression, fear, trainability, touch sensitivity, and separation-related problems.
A phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) in humans revealed striking cross-species parallels: most of the 18 canine positional candidate genes were associated with one or more of 190 psychiatric, temperamental, or cognitive traits in humans. These connections highlight shared neurobiological pathways influencing emotion, cognition, and stress responses.
Notable examples include:
PTPN1 — Located near a locus for dog-directed aggression, corresponding in humans to intelligence, educational attainment, and major depression.
ROMO1 — Within a locus for trainability in dogs, and associated in humans with intelligence, depression, irritability, and emotional sensitivity.
PRDX1 — Linked to dog-directed fear, with human associations to behavioral and psychiatric traits.
VWA8 — Associated with touch sensitivity in dogs and pertinent human neurological or temperamental traits.
ITPR2 and ADGRL2/LPHN2 — Both involved in trainability, with cross-species connections to cognitive and emotional traits.
ADD2 — Tied to stranger-directed fear and associated with human psychological profiles.
Additional cross-species links emerged from suggestive loci, including HUNK and ZC3H12C (dog-directed fear), and SLC35F6 and IGSF11 (separation-related problems).
The findings suggest that shared molecular and genetic architectures contribute to behavioral and emotional traits across species. Understanding these connections may help explain the mechanisms underlying problematic behaviors in dogs, and deepen insight into the biological roots of complex psychological traits in humans.
Source: Alex, E. A., Gennotte, P., Raffan, E., et al. (2025). GWAS for Behavioral Traits in Golden Retrievers Identifies Genes Implicated in Human Temperament, Mental Health, and Cognition. PNAS. Published November 24, 2025.
