Fig. 6.
Autistic-like behavioral phenotype in BTBR mice (a–d) BTBR mice displayed impaired social interactions, as well as decreased plasma levels of oxytocin. (e–f) BTBR mice were largely engaged in compulsive behaviors. They showed impaired working memory performance (g), enhanced locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior (h, i and k). (j) No evidence of depressive-like behavior was observed. (l) BTBR mice displayed elevated plasma corticosterone levels at baseline and when being exposed to an acute stressor (forced swim test). (m–n) BTBR mice had smaller adrenal glands and increased expression of glucocorticoid receptor gene in the hippocampus. *p < 0.05 for BTBR vs. C57BL/6 group. Statistical analysis: data are presented as median with IQR and min/max values as error bars on (e) and (k), and as mean + SEM on the rest, n = 10 in either group. t(18) = 8.153, p < 0.0005 for Mouse vs Object and t(17) = 3.707, p = 0.002 for Novel vs Familiar Mouse preference; t(18) = 5.678, p < 0.0005 for the RI interaction; t(13) = 3.485, p = 0.004 and t(13) = 2.029, p = 0.063 for the cued food preference at 0 h and 24 h time points, respectively; t(17) = 3.623, p = 0.002 for oxytocin levels; t(18) = − 6.303, p < 0.0005 for self-grooming time; t(18) = 3.040, p = 0.011 for the NOR discrimination index; t(18) = 0.059, p = 0.953 for the time in the center, t(18) = − 2.090, p = 0.051 for the latency to enter the center and t(18) = − 7.099, p < 0.0005 for the distance travelled in the OF test; t(17) = 2.947, p = 0.009 for open arm entries in the EPM test; t(18) = 2.785, p = 0.012 for the immobility time in the FST test; t(18) = 3.229, p = 0.005 for the adrenal glands weight; t(17) = − 5.480, p < 0.0005 for the Gr and t(17) = − 1.845, p = 0.094 for the Mr. gene expression, unpaired t-test. U(18) = 83.000, p = 0.011 for # of buried marbles; U(18) = 99.000, p < 0.0005, U(18) = 98.000, p < 0.0005 and U(18) = 83.000, p = 0.001 for # of fecal pellets in the OF, NOR and EPM tests, respectively, Mann-Whitney test. Plasma Corticosterone: F(5;80) = 209.091, p < 0.0005 for the effect of Time, F(1;16) = 8.193, p = 0.011 for the effect of Genotype, F(5;80) = 1.534, p = 0.221 for the Time × Genotype interaction. Datasets were analyzed with mixed-design ANOVA with Genotype as an independent factor and Time as a repeated measure. Mean values in each time point were further compared between groups with unpaired t-test.