Current status of antisense DNA methods in behavioral studies

The antisense DNA method has been used successfully to block the expressionof specific genes in vivo in neuronal systems. An increasing number ofstudies in the last few years have shown that antisense DNA administereddirectly into the brain can modify various kinds of behaviors. Thesefindings strongly suggest that the antisense DNA method can be used as apowerful tool to study causal relationships between molecular processes inthe brain and behavior. In this article we review the current status of theantisense method in behavioral studies and discuss its potentials andproblems by focusing on the following four aspects; (i) optimal applicationparadigms of antisense DNA methods in behavioral studies; (ii) efficienciesof different administration methods of antisense DNA used in behavioralstudies; (iii) determination of specificity of behavioral effects ofantisense DNA; and (iv) discrepancies between antisense DNA effects onbehaviors and those on protein levels of the targeted gene.