Andrei I Molosh, Philip L Johnson, John P Spence, David Arendt, Lauren M Federici, Cristian Bernabe, Steven P Janasik, Zaneer M Segu, Rajesh Khanna, Chirayu Goswami, Weiguo Zhu, Su-Jung Park, Lang Li, Yehia S Mechref, D Wade Clapp, Anantha Shekhar
Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are increasingly recognized as having a high prevalence of social difficulties and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We demonstrated a selective social learning deficit in mice with deletion of a single Nf1 allele (Nf1(+/-)), along with greater activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in neurons from the amygdala and frontal cortex, structures that are relevant to social behaviors. The Nf1(+/-) mice showed aberrant amygdala glutamate and GABA neurotransmission, deficits in long-term potentiation and specific disruptions in the expression of two proteins that are associated with glutamate and GABA neurotransmission: a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 22 (Adam22) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), respectively...
November 2014: Nature Neuroscience