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Fig. 7 | Molecular Autism

Fig. 7

From: Imbalance of flight–freeze responses and their cellular correlates in the Nlgn3−/y rat model of autism

Fig. 7

Nlgn3−/y rats show increased jumping behaviour and make fewer 22 kHz calls in response to in vivo dPAG stimulation. A Schematic depicting dPAG stimulation protocol. B Location of implanted stimulating electrodes. Coloured dots represent lesion sites (bilateral) of % individual animals. C Significantly more Nlgn3−/y rats successfully escaped the arena following dPAG stimulation in comparison with WT rats (WT n = 5, KO n = 9, p < 0.0001, Fisher's exact test). D A higher percentage of Nlgn3−/y in comparison with WT rats display jumping behaviour when increasing bilateral dPAG stimulations (p = 0.0065, Fisher’s exact test, WT n = 5, KO n = 9). Data represented as mean E Classic freezing behaviour is reduced in Nlgn3−/y rats (p = 0.025, F(1, 12) = 6.58, repeated measures two-way ANOVA, WT n = 5, KO n = 9). Each data point is mean % time freezing over the entire 3-min interval following stimulation ± SEM. F Example spectrograms obtained from USV recordings in both WT and Nlgn3−/y rats. Boxed areas indicate detected USV events. G Pie charts of the percentage WT and Nlgn3−/y rats that were silent (emitted no USV vocalisations) or vocal during the entirety of the stimulation paradigm (30 min duration). H Nlgn3−/y rats emit fewer USVs in the 22 kHz range compared to WT rats over the entire paradigm (p = 0.026, Mann–Whitney U-test = 7; n = 5 WT, 9 KO). I Nlgn3−/y rats call less during PAG stimulation-induced freezing compared to WT (p = 0.034, Mann–Whitney U-test = 8; n = 5 WT, 9 KO). Data represented as mean ± SEM, clear dots represent individual animals

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