Table 1. Summary of the results of the behavioral tests performed on Npas4 WT, HET and KO mice.
| Test | Parameter | WT | HET | KO | P value | Interpretation |
| Elevated-Zero maze | Time in open arm (%) | 21.38±3.01 | 22.76±1.95 | N/A | ns | Npas4 KO and HET mice are not more anxious than WT. This behavior is not regulated by NPAS4 |
| Open field | Time in center (%) | 6.48±1.42 | 7.23±1.28 | 6.86±2.27 | ns | |
| Total distance (cm) | 7095±225 | 7784±321 | 9009±681 | WT vs.KOp<0.01 | Npas4 KO mice are hyperactive in a novel environment. | |
| 6-trial test | Time sniffing 1st trial | 45.74±2.71 | 40.79±2.76 | 21.66±6.06 | KO vs. WT and HET p<0.01 | Npas4 KO mice spend less time sniffing an unfamiliar mouse |
| Time sniffing 5th trial | 51.38±1.26 | 51.03±1.79 | 39.48±6.15 | ns | Npas4 KO mice can discriminate between different mice | |
| Tube Dominance | Wins (%) | 12.5 | N/A | 71.9 | p<0.001 | Npas4 KO mice are more aggressive/dominant |
| 2-Days social test | Day 1 – Time avoiding contact (%) | 44.09±2.65 | 50.27±1.81 | 57.51±3.05 | WT vs. KO p<0.01 | Npas4 KO mice avoid contact with an unfamiliar mouse |
| Day 1 – Time initiating contact (%) | 36.97±4.88 | 31.87±3.26 | 27.08±2.95 | ns | Npas4 KO mice initiate contact with an unfamiliar mouse | |
| Day 2 – Time avoiding contact (%) | 27.02±7.62 | 45.21±4.97 | 37.66±7.79 | ns | Npas4 KO mice do not avoid contact with a familiar mouse | |
| Day 2 – Time initiating contact (%) | 50.28±10.95 | 29.98±6.49 | 43.75±10.36 | ns | Npas4 KO mice initiate contact with a familiar mouse | |
| Spontaneous alternation | Total arm entries | 47.24±1.97 | 44.45±2.22 | 44.40±9.53 | ns | Npas4 KO mice are not hyperactive in a Y-maze |
| Alternation (%) | 60.32±1.88 | 59.96±1.58 | 54.05±2.88 | Vs. chance level: KO p>0.1 | Npas4 KO mice show deficit in working memory | |
| Place Learning | # days to criterion | 4.13±0.13 | 4.47±0.11 | N/A | ns | Npas4 HET mice don't have a deficit in spatial learning |
| # errors day 1 | 3.87±0.62 | 4.71±0.62 | N/A | p = 0.09 (T) | ||
| # errors day 2 | 0.80±0.38 | 2.47±0.74 | N/A | |||
| # errors day 3 | 0.07±0.07 | 0.71±0.32 | N/A | |||
| Reversal Learning | # days to criterion | 3.80±0.14 | 4.41±0.23 | N/A | p = 0.04 | Npas4 HET show a deficit in reversal learning |
| # errors day 1 | 3.53±0.60 | 4.71±0.65 | N/A | p = 0.052 | ||
| # errors day 2 | 0.27±0.15 | 2.00±0.68 | N/A | |||
| # errors day 3 | 0.07±0.07 | 0.65±0.41 | N/A | |||
| Novel Object Recognition | Time exploring new object (%) | 59.88±2.77 | 36.25±9.07 | 55.68±3.13 | p = 0.01 | Npas4 KO mice show a deficit in object recognition memory |
| Pre-Pulse Inhibition | %PPI – 74 dB | 64.11±8.12 | 38.36±4.10 | 20.44±3.22 | WT vs KO p<0.01WT vs HET p<0.01 | Npas4 HET and KO mice show a deficit in sensorimotor gating |
| %PPI – 78 dB | 70.87±7.62 | 48.07±5.87 | 30.42±2.94 | WT vs KO p<0.05WT vs HET p<0.05 | ||
| %PPI – 82 dB | 71.28±6.40 | 54.74±4.41 | 37.07±3.87 | WT vs KO p<0.001 | ||
| %PPI – 86 dB | 71.6±7.39 | 56.16±3.95 | 46.31±4.57 | WT vs KO p<0.05 | ||
| %PPI – 90 dB | 76.11±4.08 | 63.14±4.03 | 47.88±6.81 | WT vs KO p<0.01 |
ns: non-significant (p>0.1); T: trend (0.05<p<0.1); N/A: data are not available