Graduation Date
Fall 2023
Document Type
Project
Program
Master of Arts degree with a major in Psychology, option Academic Research
Committee Chair Name
Ethan Gahtan
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Amber Gaffney
Second Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Subject Categories
Psychology
Abstract
Differences in behavioral and mental health traits result from unique interactions of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic information has improved along with technological advancements allowing for more data points to be established and increased data resolution. Because of this, there is a greater ability to identify embryos that carry genetic risk. The approach of Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) is routine for certain genetic diseases but has not been widely used for psychiatric or behavioral traits. This paper critically examines the potential application of PGT-P by focusing on one main example, Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is the most prevalent form of dementia and is a well-studied example of pleiotropic genes that influences observable behaviors such as short term memory, judgment, and problem-solving. This disorder is relatively untreatable and genetically heritable which makes it a desirable candidate for PGT-P. This paper will describe specific risk genes involved in AD, the nature and availability of genetic risk estimates, and the ethical considerations in PGT for behavioral traits. I conclude progress in genetics research will make PGT an effective way to reduce suffering from mental health outcomes and will increase in prevalence along with government regulation and accessibility of genetic counselors. Significant obstacles include making decisions based on complex and probabilistic genetic risk estimates and ethical objections to artificial selection.
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Zeller, Peter K., "Preimplantation genetic testing for neurobehavioral traits" (2023). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 700.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/700