Suppression of Cofilin function in the somatosensory cortex alters social contact behavior in the BTBR mouse inbred line.

ABSTRACT: Sensory differences are a core feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and are predictive of other ASD core symptoms such as social difficulties. However, the neurobiological substrate underlying the functional relationship between sensory and social functioning is poorly understood. Here, we examined whether misregulation of structural plasticity in the somatosensory cortex modulates aberrant social functioning in BTBR mice, a mouse model for autism spectrum disorder-like phenotypes. By locally expressing a dominant-negative form of Cofilin (CofilinS3D; a key regulator of synaptic structure) in the somatosensory cortex, we tested whether somatosensory suppression of Cofilin activity alters social functioning in BTBR mice. Somatosensory Cofilin suppression altered social contact and nes

SUBMITTER: Riemersma IW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11008688 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature