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Christopher Bloom, Ph.D. Providence College Katharine Phillips, M.D. Brown University BDD is characterized by preoccupation with perceived slight or imagined physical flaws. Phillips & Diaz (1997) reported that in a sample of patients with BDD, flaws in skin (65%) and hair (55%) were the most common bodily focus for preoccupation, resulting in abnormal grooming bheaviors. A normally adaptive behavior, grooming has been shown to become pathological in a number of species. Additionally, repetitive grooming is exacerbated by environmental stressors such as social isolation or restraint. In a gene association study, Phillips & Kaye (2007) reported a significant enrichment in a mutation in the gabrg2 gene localized on the human Chromosome 5q. The gene encodes the GABAA-Ɣ2 subunit of the GABAA receptor, a chloride channel that binds to GABA, the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Phillips & Kaye (2007) report that the (A) allele was enriched in BDD subjects when compared to healthy controls. The current study investigates the impact of suppressed GABAA -2 expression on behavioral indicators associated with grooming. Animals were observed in their home cages for a period of 48 hours utilizing computer vision observation software. This method quantified frequency, intensity and pattern of grooming behaviors in gabrg2 mice in comparison to wildtype controls. Our results indicate that grooming behaviors in gabrg2 mice differ significantly from wild-type controls. Further development of this model may provide critical translational tool for understanding the neurobiological basis of this devastating disorder.