Open AccessSubthalamic nucleus pathology contributes to repetitive behavior expression and is reversed by environmental enrichment
Author(s) -
Lewis M. H.,
Lindenmaier Z.,
Boswell K.,
Edington G.,
King M. A.,
Muehlmann A. M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
genes, brain and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1601-183X
pISSN - 1601-1848
DOI - 10.1111/gbb.12468
Subject(s) - subthalamic nucleus , glutamatergic , neuroscience , biology , movement disorders , psychology , medicine , deep brain stimulation , parkinson's disease , pathology , glutamate receptor , genetics , disease , receptor
Repetitive motor behaviors are common in neurodevelopmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders. Despite their prevalence in certain clinical populations, our understanding of the neurobiological cause of repetitive behavior is lacking. Likewise, not knowing the pathophysiology has precluded efforts to find effective drug treatments. Our comparisons between mouse strains that differ in their expression of repetitive behavior showed an important role of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). In mice with high rates of repetitive behavior, we found significant differences in dendritic spine density, gene expression and neuronal activation in the STN. Taken together, these data show a hypoglutamatergic state. Furthermore, by using environmental enrichment to reduce repetitive behavior, we found evidence of increased glutamatergic tone in the STN with our measures of spine density and gene expression. These results suggest the STN is a major contributor to repetitive behavior expression and highlight the potential of drugs that increase STN function to reduce repetitive behavior in clinical populations.