Fig. 1: Abnormal social representation in the Shank2–/– mPFC. | Nature Communications

Fig. 1: Abnormal social representation in the Shank2–/– mPFC.

From: Excitatory synapses and gap junctions cooperate to improve Pv neuronal burst firing and cortical social cognition in Shank2-mutant mice

Fig. 1

a Schematic diagram showing the linear apparatus for single-unit recordings in the mPFC of mice exploring social/non-social targets. The experiments included a 5-min rest period and three 10-min sessions (E–E, 1st S–O [S–O], and 2nd S–[O–S]). E/S/O, empty/social/object target. b Sample mPFC neurons showing single target-specific and broadly-tuned responses in WT and Shank2–/– mice. Shown are spike density functions (σ = 6.2 ms) aligned to immediately before and after target (E/O/S) sniffing (nose-poke). Data: mean ± SEM. c Discharge patterns of mPFC neurons to social and non-social targets in WT and Shank2–/– mice (>12 weeks) summarized in Venn diagrams, based on their discriminative discharges for S–E, S–O, and E–O target combinations (see Supplementary Fig. 2). Numbers in the Venn diagrams indicate proportions (%) of neurons that are either target-discriminative (i.e., S–O-discriminative neurons showing higher or lower firing for S over O) or target-selective (i.e., S-specific neurons being derived from the combination of S–O- and S–E-discriminative neurons). The neurons in the parentheses are additionally discriminative to sidedness/Side (left/right side of the apparatus) (n = 295 neurons/5 mice [WT], 409/5 mice [KO]). d Proportions (%) of the neurons that are target-specific (S/O/E/Side/Target [all targets]) in the WT and Shank2–/– mPFC derived from the Venn-diagram results (c) corresponding to the shaded miniature Venn-diagram areas (d). Note that ‘Target’ neuronal proportion is not the sum of the other target-selective neurons (S/O/E/Side), as explained in the shaded Venn diagrams (n = 295/5 mice [WT] 409/5 mice [KO], *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001, ***p < 0.001, ns, not significant, Chi-square test; p = 0.0021 [Target], p = 0.0194 [Side], p = 0.549 [S-specific], p = 0.007 [O-specific], p < 0.0001 [E-specific]). e Total numbers and proportions of target pairs that one neuron can discriminate (S–O, S–E, E–O, and L–R [left–right]) based on the Venn-diagram summary (c) (i.e., a neuron in the center of the Venn diagram within the parenthesis can discriminates four target pairs (S–E, S–O, E–O, and L–R) (n = 295 [WT] and 409 [KO], ***p < 0.001, Chi-square test). See Source data for raw data values and Supplementary Table 1 for statistical details.

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