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Article: In Vole's world, monogamy is inherited, researchers find.
- Article from:
- Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT)
- Article date:
- June 16, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Hartford Courant. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: John Jurgensen
HARTFORD, Conn. _ Commitment is a curious thing. What transforms a stranger into a lifelong friend, confidante or lover? And just as intriguing, what prevents some people from building such bonds?
The answers could hinge on a genetic trait in the pleasure center of the brain, say scientists who study the social and sexual habits of a mousy creature called a vole.
These animals, like humans, are among the fewer than 5 percent of mammals that form monogamous bonds. But what makes voles interesting to researchers is that not all of them prefer to settle down.
The meadow vole is a rodent that gets around. After sex, ...