Presymptomatic training mitigates functional deficits in a mouse model of Rett syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Mutations in the X-linked gene MECP2 cause Rett syndrome, a progressive neurological disorder in which children develop normally for the first one or two years of life before experiencing profound motor and cognitive decline^1-3. At present there are no effective treatments for Rett syndrome, but we hypothesized that using the period of normal development to strengthen motor and memory skills might confer some benefit. Here we find, using a mouse model of Rett syndrome, that intensive training beginning in the presymptomatic period dramatically improves the performance of specific motor and memory tasks, and significantly delays the onset of symptoms. These benefits are not observed when the training begins after symptom onset. Markers of neuronal activity and chemogenetic manipu

SUBMITTER: Achilly NP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8093094 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature