{
  "abstract": "Major vulnerability factors for psychiatric disorders such as depression, that often prevent complete remission and lead to relapses, are temperamental. In a rat model of clustered persistent high-anxiety/low-motivation, we have found that overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) by intra-striatally administered adeno-associated virus vector completely converts the passive coping style of low exploratory rats into an active one, similar to high exploratory rats. This conversion of the behavioural strategy developed gradually over repeated testing, and was associated with increased catecholamine metabolism in several brain regions and changes in the regulation of serotonin neurotransmission. An increase in dopamine transporter availability in the striatum was necessary for the phenotype conversion. Associated changes in striatal gene expression included key regulators of monoamine storage and epitranscriptomic regulation. The increase in GDNF signalling also caused alterations in levels and regional covariation of oxidative metabolism, suggestive of a reorganization of neural activity throughout the brain. Thus, neurotrophic factors, GDNF in particular, may play a pivotal role in the development, persistence and alteration of temperament/personality traits, and therefore constitute a potential target for treatment of chronic, relapsing psychiatric disorders.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Ravila 14A Chemicum, 50411 Tartu, Estonia",
    "Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5D, 00790 Helsinki, Finland",
    "School of Natural Sciences and Health, Tallinn University, Narva 25, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia",
    "Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Heinrich-Hoffmann-Straße 10, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany",
    "Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia",
    "Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, 00014 Helsinki, Finland",
    "Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Riia 23, 50107 Tartu, Estonia",
    "Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 50107 Tartu, Estonia",
    "Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006 Tartu, Estonia",
    "National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21224 USA"
  ],
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  "author_total": 21,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jaanus Harro",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4484-2096"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Aet O’Leary",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6783-4729"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Marianna Norden"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Kristi Liiver"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Margus Kanarik",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3326-5297"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "J. Arturo García-Horsman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Sven Sakson"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Pilleriin Kupper"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Karita Laugus",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-8228-8233"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sirin Korulu",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6762-0659"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        6
      ],
      "name": "Indrek Teino",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2381-4715"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Tõnis Org",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3071-2183"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Ilmari Parkkinen"
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    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Tanel Kaart",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8936-768X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Päivi Lindholm",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3022-5035"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sophie Imbeault",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1454-9267"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Helen Poska",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1346-4862"
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    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Brandon K. Harvey"
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    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Mikko Airavaara"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ruth Shimmo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Mart Saarma",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5543-7160"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8act40svfrr2t.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41380-026-03753-7",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13736649/",
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  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-026-03753-7.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13736649",
  "pmid": "42432013",
  "published": "2026-07-10",
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  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8act40svfrr2t.ris",
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  ],
  "title": "Experimental change in temperament: Conversion of the low exploratory phenotype into highly explorative by overexpression of GDNF in the rat striatum",
  "title_text": "Experimental change in temperament: Conversion of the low exploratory phenotype into highly explorative by overexpression of GDNF in the rat striatum",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:22:03Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8act40svfrr2t",
  "venue": "Molecular Psychiatry",
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}