Environmental enrichment improves metabolic and behavioral health in the BTBR mouse model of autism

PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY

卷:111

Article

Queen, Nicholas J.^1,2  Boardman, Amber A.^1,2  Patel, Ripal S.^1,2  Siu, Jason J.^1,2  Mo, Xiaokui³  Cao, Lei^1,2 

[1] Ohio State Univ, Coll Med, Dept Canc Biol & Genet, Columbus, OH 43210 USA

[2] Ohio State Univ, Comprehens Canc Ctr, Columbus, OH 43210 USA

[3] Ohio State Univ, Coll Med, Dept Biomed Informat, Columbus, OH 43210 USA

关键词: BTBR mice;    Autism spectrum disorder;    Environmental enrichment;    Sociability;    Metabolism;    BDNF;    TrkB;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104476

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

BTBR T + Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice are an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-like model that exhibit behavioral and physiological deficits similar to those observed in patients with ASD. While behavioral therapy is a first line of treatment in ASD patients, comparable non-pharmacological treatments are less explored in murine models. Here, we administer a bio-behavioral intervention for BTBR mice by way of environmental enrichment (EE) - an experimental housing paradigm previously shown to improve systemic metabolism, learning/memory, anxious behavior, neurogenesis, locomotion, and immunocompetence in C57BL/6 mice. Juvenile BTBR mice were randomized to standard or EE housing and were subjected to metabolic and behavioral assessments up to 17 weeks. Following EE exposure, we report an EE-induced metabolic and behavioral phenotype. Male BTBR mice responded metabolically to EE, displaying reduced adiposity, increased lean mass, improved glycemic control, and decreased circulating leptin. The gene expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and its receptor (Ntrk2/TrkB) were upregulated in several brain areas in EE-BTBR males. EE-BTBR females showed modest reduction of adiposity and no changes in glycemic control, circulating leptin, or Bdnf/Ntrk2 gene expression. With regard to behavior, EE resulted in decreased anxiety, and increased social affiliation. Together, these results suggest that EE improves metabolic and behavioral health in BTBR mice.

【 授权许可】

Free