Restoring striatal WAVE-1 improves maze exploration performance of GluN1 knockdown mice - Fig 8

Performance of WT, WAVE-Tg, GluN1KD and GluN1KD-WAVE mice in the (a) puzzle box, (b) open field and (c) social approach behavior tests. a) Mice with GluN1KD genotypes took significantly longer to complete puzzle box trials compared to non-GluN1KD mice. Data for each trial was analyzed by independent sample Kruskal-Wallis tests followed by post hoc Dunn’s multiple comparisons. # indicates a significant effect of genotype on test completion speed rankings with p ≤ 0.015 for each comparison between a GluN1KD genotype and a non-GluN1KD genotype for each trial. GluN1KD and GluN1KD-WAVE mice did not differ significantly in any of the puzzle box trials. Sample sizes are indicated next to their respective genotypes in the graph legend. b) Distance traveled over time was recorded in the open field test. Mice of GluN1KD genotypes travelled greater distances and did not display habituation compared to non-GluN1KD littermates. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs reported a significant main effect of genotype (p post hoc analyses reported p c) GluN1KD mice spent less time in the social zone, which contained a social stimulus mouse, compared to non-GluN1KD mice. GluN1KD-WAVE mice scored significantly lower compared to WAVE-Tg mice and trended towards significance compared to WT mice († p = 0.15). WT mice also spent more time in the nonsocial zone compared to both GluN1KD and GluN1KD-WAVE mice. No significance was found comparing GluN1KD to GluN1KD-WAVE mice. Male and female mice were used in all behavioral experiments. No sex differences were observed in these behavior tests (S1 Table). Data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc comparisons for all pairings, * p p < 0.01. Sample sizes are indicated in each bar. Intercrossing GluN1KD and WAVE-Tg mice did not result in improved performance in the puzzle box, open field, or social approach behavior tests.