Activation of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) ameliorates loss of maternal behavior in a Shank2 mouse model for autism.
EMBO J
; 40(5): e104267, 2021 03 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33491217
ABSTRACT
Impairments in social relationships and awareness are features observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Shank2 is a high-confidence ASD candidate gene and localizes primarily to postsynaptic densities (PSDs) of excitatory synapses in the central nervous system (CNS). We show here that loss of Shank2 in mice leads to a lack of social attachment and bonding behavior towards pubs independent of hormonal, cognitive, or sensitive deficits. Shank2-/- mice display functional changes in nuclei of the social attachment circuit that were most prominent in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus. Selective enhancement of MPOA activity by DREADD technology re-established social bonding behavior in Shank2-/- mice, providing evidence that the identified circuit might be crucial for explaining how social deficits in ASD can arise.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Piperazinas
/
Área Preóptica
/
Trastorno Autístico
/
Modelos Animales de Enfermedad
/
Relaciones Interpersonales
/
Conducta Materna
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Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
EMBO J
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania