title: Social behavior deficits in the Fmr1 mutant mouse.
abstract: Mice exhibiting deficits in social behavior may provide valuable models for autistic-like behavioral problems. We tested social interactions in male mice from three inbred strains: C57BL/6J (B6), BALB/cJ (C) and DBA/2J (D2). All three strains showed gradual habituation of the number of social interactions with an ovariectomized female over four subsequent 2min sessions, returning to initial levels when presented with another stimulus mouse. Next, we studied males with a knockout mutation in the Fmr1 gene on a B6 background. KO animals showed strongly reduced levels of social interaction, which were about similar as those of habituated controls. This social behavior deficit suggests that Fmr1 KO mice could possibly be used as models for autistic behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Yann S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Mineur
authors.forename: Linh X
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Wim E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Crusio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D051860:Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D051860:Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1; C497684:Fmr1 protein, mouse