Abnormal Whisker-Dependent Behaviors and Altered Cortico-Hippocampal Connectivity in Shank3b-/- Mice.
Cereb Cortex
; 32(14): 3042-3056, 2022 07 12.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34791077
ABSTRACT
Abnormal tactile response is an integral feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and hypo-responsiveness to tactile stimuli is often associated with the severity of ASDs core symptoms. Patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), caused by mutations in the SHANK3 gene, show ASD-like symptoms associated with aberrant tactile responses. The neural underpinnings of these abnormalities are still poorly understood. Here we investigated, in Shank3b-/- adult mice, the neural substrates of whisker-guided behaviors, a key component of rodents' interaction with the surrounding environment. We assessed whisker-dependent behaviors in Shank3b-/- adult mice and age-matched controls, using the textured novel object recognition (tNORT) and whisker nuisance (WN) test. Shank3b-/- mice showed deficits in whisker-dependent texture discrimination in tNORT and behavioral hypo-responsiveness to repetitive whisker stimulation in WN. Sensory hypo-responsiveness was accompanied by a significantly reduced activation of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and hippocampus, as measured by c-fos mRNA induction, a proxy of neuronal activity following whisker stimulation. Moreover, resting-state fMRI showed a significantly reduced S1-hippocampal connectivity in Shank3b mutants, in the absence of altered connectivity between S1 and other somatosensory areas. Impaired crosstalk between hippocampus and S1 might underlie Shank3b-/- hypo-reactivity to whisker-dependent cues, highlighting a potentially generalizable somatosensory dysfunction in ASD.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Vibrisas
/
Trastornos de los Cromosomas
/
Proteínas de Microfilamentos
/
Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Cereb Cortex
Asunto de la revista:
CEREBRO
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia