Sociality deficits in serine racemase knockout mice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Studies of schizophrenia have pointed to the role of glutamate in its pathophysiology. Mice lacking D-serine show impairments in neurotransmission through NMDA receptors and display behaviors consistent with features of schizophrenia. Yet, socio-communicative deficits, a characteristic of schizophrenia, have not been reported in serine racemase knockout mice.

METHODS:

We use behavioral testing (the three-chambered social approach task, the dyadic interaction task, and the novel object recognition task) to examine socio-communicative behaviors in these mice.

RESULTS:

Serine racemase mice show abnormal social investigation and approach behavior, and differ from wild-type controls in the duration and number of vocalizations they emit in the presence of a conspecific. Serine racemase knockout mice were not impaired in a cognitive test (novel object recognition), although they displayed abnormal behavior in the acquisition phase of the task.

CONCLUSIONS:

Serine racemase knockout mice demonstrate abnormalities in socio-communicative behaviors consistent with an impairment in sociality, a negative symptom of schizophrenia.

• Authors: Tatyana M Matveeva, Marc T Pisansky, Amy Young, Robert F Miller, Jonathan C Gewirtz
• Journal: Brain and behavior (Brain Behav) Vol. 9 Issue 10 Pg. e01383 (10 2019) ISSN: 2162-3279 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 31515952 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2019 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical References

• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
• Glutamic Acid
• Serine
• Racemases and Epimerases
• serine racemase

Topics

• Animals
• Behavior, Animal
• Choice Behavior
• Glutamic Acid (metabolism)
• Mice
• Mice, Knockout
• Racemases and Epimerases (genetics)
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (metabolism)
• Schizophrenia (metabolism, physiopathology)
• Schizophrenic Psychology
• Serine (metabolism)
• Social Behavior
• Vocalization, Animal