Figure 3. 20-day peer-enriched intervention improved sociability in BTBR male mice.

(A) Time in chambers containing a novel object or novel mouse. Male B6 that were reared as juveniles with juvenile male B6 for 20 days displayed typical sociability as adults (N=8, F_1,7=93.77, p<.0001). Male BTBR reared as juveniles with juvenile male BTBR for 20 days did not display sociability as adults (N=8, F_1,7=0.046, NS). Male BTBR reared as juveniles with juvenile male B6 for 20 days displayed significant sociability as adults (N=16, F_1,15=12.24, p<.01). (B) Time spent sniffing the novel object and the novel mouse. Male B6 reared as juveniles with juvenile male B6 for 20 days displayed significant sociability as adults (N=8, F_1,7=117.84, p<.001). Male BTBR reared as juveniles with juvenile male BTBR did not display significant sociability (N=8, F_1,7=1.78, NS). Male BTBR reared as juveniles with juvenile male B6 displayed sociability as adults (N=16, F_1,15=20.46, p<.001). (C) Total number of entries to the side chambers during the social approach task. A significant main effect of social housing was found (F_2,29=5.83, p<.01), with male BTBR reared with B6 showing fewer entries into the side chambers as compared to BTBR reared with BTBR (p<.05). (D) Total number of entries to the side chambers during the habituation phase that preceded the social approach task. No significant effect of social housing was found (F_2,29=2.11, NS). (A and B) *p < .05 for comparison between novel mouse and novel object sides. (C) #p < .05 as compared to BTBR reared with BTBR.