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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Mar 19.
Published in final edited form as: Neuron. 2014 Mar 19;81(6):1282–1289. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.01.016

Figure 2. Effects of low-dose clonazepam on social interaction and cognitive deficits in BTBR mice.

Figure 2

(A–D) Age-matched male C57BL/6J (n = 6; each group) and BTBR mice (n = 9; each group) were treated with a single intraperitoneal dose of clonazepam at the indicated level and subjected to the three-chamber social interaction test. Test mice were not reused; different groups of mice were used for each dose of clonazepam treatment. (A, B) Time in chambers. (C, D) Ratio of time in mouse chamber to time in object chamber.

(E–G) The effects of low-dose clonazepam (CLZ; 0.05 mg/kg) on open field activity were measured in C57BL/6J (n = 8) and BTBR mice (n = 10).

(H) Time in open arms in elevated plus maze for BTBR mice (n = 10) and C57BL/6J mice (n = 10).

(I) In the three-chamber test, BTBR (blue) and C57BL/6J (black) mice were treated with vehicle (Pre, Post) or low-dose clonazepam (CLZ) 30 min before testing social interactions on Day 0 (Pre), Day 7 (CLZ), or Day 14 (Post). The ratio of interaction time with the stranger mouse or object is plotted.

(J and K) In the open-field reciprocal social interaction test, BTBR (blue) and C57BL/6J (black) mice were treated with vehicle (Pre, Post) or low-dose clonazepam (CLZ) 30 min before testing social interactions on Day 0 (Pre), Day 7 (CLZ), or Day 14 (Post). The ratio of interaction time with the stranger mouse vs. object is plotted for BTBR mice (n = 9) or C57BL/6J mice (n = 9) for total interaction time (J) and nose-to-nose interaction time (K).

(L and M) To test tolerance to the effects of low-dose clonazepam on locomotor and social behaviors, BTBR mice (n = 10; each group) were treated with low-dose (0.05 mg/kg), and high-dose (1 mg/kg) clonazepam for 14 days. (L) Total distance moved during the open field test after drug treatment on Day 1 and Day 14 was measured, and % activity change was calculated by comparing the activity on Day 1 and Day 14 of treatment with the indicated doses of clonazepam. (M) Social interaction behavior was compared after treatment with low-dose clonazepam (n = 10 for each group). CON, Control. CLZ, Clonazepam. All data shown are means ± s.e.m. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.