The Effect Of Maternal Separation To The Cognition And Emotion Of DISC1Mice

Objective We study the effect of maternal separation to the behaviors of DISCI (Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1) mice and dicuss the role of gene-environment interaction to the cognition and emotion of mice.Methods We treat the tTA (tetracycline transcriptional activator) and DISCI mice with maternal separation or group housed and acquired four groups of mice, the tTA gregarious group, the tTA maternal separation group, DISCI gregarious group and DISCI maternal separation group. After12weeks, we conducted a series of behavior experiments, including open field test, Y maze test, elevated plus maze test and tail suspension test to test the mice’s activity, spatial memory, anxiety and depression response.Result (1)In the open field test,there are significant difference between the mice of maternal separation group and the gregarious group in exploration(F=6.607,p=0.011), autonomic activities (F=5.409,p=0.022) and total distance (F=6.647,p=0.011), the mice of the maternal separation group traveled longer. The DISCI mice of maternal separation group travel longer in the exploration than the DISC1mice of gregarious group (F=3.164, P=0.027).The DISCI mice of maternal separation group traveled longer than the other three groups in30minutes (p<0.05).(2)Compared to the tTA mice, the DISC1mice spent less time in the new arm of the Y maze test (F=5.166,p=0.026). The mice of the maternal separation group spent more time in the new arm than the mice of gregarious group (F=5.686. p=0.019). The tTA mice of maternal separation group stayed longer in the new arm than the DISCI mice of gregarious group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference of entries to the new arm among them.(3) In the elevated plus maze test, we didn’t found any significant difference in the propotion of time that the mice spent in open arms and the propotion of entries to open arms.(4) In the tail suspension test, the mice of maternal separation group showed less immobility time than the mice of gregarious group (F=4.648,p=0.033).Conclusions The DISC1mice of maternal separation group exhibited spontaneous hyperactivity. DISCI mice showed deficient of spatial memory. The mice of maternal separation group showed more anxiety like response. The DISCI gene and maternal separation have combied effect on the cognition and behaviors of mice.