Conditional deletion of ROCK2 induces anxiety-like behaviors and alters dendritic spine density and morphology on CA1 pyramidal neurons.

ABSTRACT: Rho-associated kinase isoform 2 (ROCK2) is an attractive drug target for several neurologic disorders. A critical barrier to ROCK2-based research and therapeutics is the lack of a mouse model that enables investigation of ROCK2 with spatial and temporal control of gene expression. To overcome this, we generated ROCK2^fl/fl mice. Mice expressing Cre recombinase in forebrain excitatory neurons (CaMKII-Cre) were crossed with ROCK2^fl/fl mice (Cre/ROCK2^fl/fl), and the contribution of ROCK2 in behavior as well as dendritic spine morphology in the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and basolateral amygdala (BLA) was examined. Cre/ROCK2^fl/fl mice spent reduced time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and increased time in the dark of the

SUBMITTER: Weber AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8600782 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature