Investigation of gene effects and epistatic interactions between Akt1 and neuregulin 1 in the regulation of behavioral phenotypes and social functions in genetic mouse models of schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT: Accumulating evidence from human genetic studies has suggested several functional candidate genes that might contribute to susceptibility to schizophrenia, including AKT1 and neuregulin 1 (NRG1). Recent findings also revealed that NRG1 stimulates the PI3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway, which might be involved in the functional outcomes of some schizophrenic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Akt1-deficiency and Nrg1-deficiency alone or in combination in the regulation of behavioral phenotypes, cognition, and social functions using genetically modified mice as a model. Male Akt1 (+/-), Nrg1 (+/-), and double mutant mice were bred and compared with their wild-type (WT) littermate controls. In Experiment 1, general physical examination revealed that all mutant mice di

SUBMITTER: Huang CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4310298 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature