Note: This page displays full abstract under original format submitted by the author(s).
First Name: ROBERT
Last Name: BLANCHARD
Abstract:
BTBR T+tf/J MICE SHOW SOCIAL DEFICITS IN SEMINATURAL VISIBLE BURROW SYSTEMS. Blanchard, D.C.; Pobbe, R.; Defensor, E.; Pearson, B.; Blanchard, R.J. University of Hawaii. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of increasingly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders defined by social interaction and communication deficits and ritualistic-repetitive behaviors. They show extremely high concordance between monozygotic twins, but likely involve an interaction between multiple genes and possible environmental factors during development. As their primary diagnostic indices are behavioral, animal models need to demonstrate social deficits related to core ASD symptoms. Previous studies on BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) mice have shown a range of social deficits, as well as high levels of self-grooming, in tasks specifically designed to evaluate these behaviors.
The Visible Burrow System (VBS) is a semi-natural habitat in which groups of mice or rats live for extended periods in situations affording burrows based on those constructed in nature, as well as open space; maintained under a 12:12 hr. light/dark cycle. Same-strain groups of 3 male BTBR or c57Bl/6J (B6) mice were maintained in VBS for 4 days, with videorecordings of each group for 24 hrs/colony (total = 192 hrs) over this period. Time samplings of behaviors indicated that BTBRs showed an extremely robust pattern of reduced approach, huddling, allogrooming, and chase/follow, with enhanced flight, alone, and self-grooming. These findings are in agreement with earlier data on the BTBR mice, and validate their reduced sociality and enhanced self-grooming in a semi-natural situation in which behaviors and a behavioral time-budget are self-generated.