Early Correction of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Function Improves Autistic-like Social Behaviors in Adult Shank2^-/- Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autism spectrum disorder involves neurodevelopmental dysregulations that lead to visible symptoms at early stages of life. Many autism spectrum disorder-related mechanisms suggested by animal studies are supported by demonstrated improvement in autistic-like phenotypes in adult animals following experimental reversal of dysregulated mechanisms. However, whether such mechanisms also act at earlier stages to cause autistic-like phenotypes is unclear.

Methods

We used Shank2^-/- mice carrying a mutation identified in human autism spectrum disorder (exons 6 and 7 deletion) and combined electrophysiological and behavioral analyses to see whether early pathophysiology at pup stages is different from late pathophysiology at juvenile and adult stages and whether

SUBMITTER: Chung C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6420362 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature