Mechanisms of Functional Hypoconnectivity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex of Mecp2 Null Mice.

ABSTRACT: Frontal cortical dysfunction is thought to contribute to cognitive and behavioral features of autism spectrum disorders; however, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The present study sought to define how loss of Mecp2, the gene mutated in Rett syndrome (RTT), disrupts function in the murine medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using acute brain slices and behavioral testing. Compared with wildtype, pyramidal neurons in the Mecp2 null mPFC exhibit significant reductions in excitatory postsynaptic currents, the duration of excitatory UP-states, evoked population activity, and the ratio of NMDA:AMPA currents, as well as an increase in the relative fraction of NR2B currents. These functional changes are associated with reductions in the density of excitatory dendritic spines, the ratio of

SUBMITTER: Sceniak MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5006177 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature