Animal Behavior

Citation:

Paolo Moretti,P., Bouwknecht, J.A., Teague,R., Paylor,R., Zoghbi,H.Y., (2005) Abnormalities of social interactions and home-cage behavior in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, Human Molecular Genetics, Volume 14 (2), pgs 205–220.

Summary

10 week old mutant mice were tested aling with control mice to ensure that there were no differences in motor abilities that could have the potential to impact social behaviors. All tests were similar but the mutant mice were unable to hang for as long as the other mice. However, the mice were deemed reliable for social interaciton observation and comaprison purposes. The SCN and neuronal control system exhibt impairment given the observation of reduced actvity in the dark and excess activity in the light. The phenotypic activity of nest building was impaired in both female and male mutant models. They determined it was not just due to motor impairments.  After an open field test and five behavioral tests conducted on all groups, it was concluded that the mutant mice exhibit social impairments not correlated to motor decline or disfunction.