Fig. 5: Ablation of OXT neurons leads to hypothalamic-derived cognitive dysfunction.

A Experimental study protocol for ablation of OXT neurons. B OXT neuronal loss was verified after Cas3 virus injection. C Quantification results of residual OXT neurons in (n = 6, t = 13.00, df=10, p < 0.001.). D Trajectory of EGFP (n = 6) mice and Cas3 (n = 6) mice in the MWM place navigation experiment. E Quantitative analysis of latency in the MWM place navigation experiment. (F (1, 46) = 41.21, p < 0.01). F Trajectories of EGFP (n = 6) mice and Cas3 (n = 6) mice in the MWM spatial exploration experiment. The shaded part is the area around the platform, and the activity time of mice in the shaded part is calculated. G Quantitative analysis of activity time around the platform in the MWM spatial exploration experiment. (t = 6.663, df=10, p < 0.05). H Trajectories of EGFP (n = 6) and Cas3 (n = 6) mice in the three-chambers social experiment (S1). The shaded area is the cage where S1 is located. I Quantification of social index in S1. (t = 5.253, df=10, p < 0.01). J Trajectory of EGFP (n = 6) mice and Cas3 (n = 6) mice in the three-box experiment (S2). The shaded area is the cage where S2 is located. K Quantitative results of S2 social index. (t = 5.085, df=10, p < 0.01). Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (E) and t-test (C, G, J, K). Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Compared to EGFP, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. Scale bar, 20 μm. MWM: Morris Water Maze; S1: Stranger1; S2: Stranger2; Cas3: caspase3.