Motor coordination deficits in mice lacking RGS9.
RGS9-2 is a striatum-enriched protein that negatively modulates dopamine and opioid receptor signaling. We examined the role of RGS9-2 in modulating complex behavior. Genetic deletion of RGS9-2 does not lead to global impairments, but results in selective abnormalities in certain behavioral domains. RGS9 knockout (KO) mice have decreased motor coordination on the accelerating rotarod and deficits in working memory as measured in the delayed-match-to-place version of the water maze. In contrast, RGS9 KO mice exhibit normal locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, cue and contextual fear conditioning, startle threshold, and pre-pulse inhibition. These studies are the first to describe a role for RGS9-2 in motor coordination and working memory and implicate RGS9-2 as a potential therapeutic target for motor and cognitive dysfunction.
Blundell
Jacqueline
J
Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-8813, USA.
Hoang
Chau V
CV
Potts
Bryan
B
Gold
Stephen J
SJ
Powell
Craig M
CM
D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D020710:RGS Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D020710:RGS Proteins; C116925:regulator of g-protein signaling 9