Cited by 56Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Systemic enhancement of serotonin signaling reverses social deficits in multiple mouse models for ASD

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Walsh, Jessica J., Llorach, Pierre, Cardozo Pinto, Daniel F., Wenderski, Wendy, Christoffel, Daniel J., Salgado, Juliana S., Heifets, Boris D., Crabtree, Gerald R. +1 more·2021·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common set of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders resulting from a variety of genetic and environmental risk factors. A core feature of ASD is impairment in prosocial interactions. Current treatment options for individuals diagnosed with ASD are limited, with no current FDA-approved medications that effectively treat its core symptoms. We recently demonstrated that enhanced serotonin (5-HT) activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), via optogenetic activation of 5-HTergic inputs or direct infusion of a specific 5-HT1b receptor agonist, reverses social deficits in a genetic mouse model for ASD based on 16p11.2 copy number variation. Furthermore, the recreational drug MDMA, which is currently being evaluated in clinical trials, promotes sociability in mice due to its 5-HT releasing properties in the NAc. Here, we systematically evaluated the ability of MDMA and a selective 5-HT1b receptor agonist to rescue sociability deficits in multiple different mouse models for ASD. We find that MDMA administration enhances sociability in control mice and reverses sociability deficits in all four ASD mouse models examined, whereas administration of a 5-HT1b receptor agonist selectively rescued the sociability deficits in all six mouse models for ASD. These preclinical findings suggest that pharmacological enhancement of 5-HT release or direct 5-HT1b receptor activation may be therapeutically efficacious in ameliorating some of the core sociability deficits present across etiologically distinct presentations of ASD.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41386-021-01091-6

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  • MDMA ameliorated sociability deficits in four different mouse models for ASD.

    “MDMA ameliorated sociability deficits in four different mouse models for ASD [124].”

    From Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors (2023) · cites this paper as [124]

  • Administration of a specific 5-HT1b receptor agonist rescued sociability deficits in six different mouse models for ASD.

    “administration of a specific 5-HT1b receptor agonist rescued sociability deficits in six different mouse models for ASD [124].”

    From Neural circuits regulating prosocial behaviors (2023) · cites this paper as [124]

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  1. Anderson GM, Horne WC, Chatterjee D, Cohen DJ. The hyperserotonemia of autism. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1990;600:331-40. discussion 41-2.

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Authors
Walsh, J. J., Llorach, P., Cardozo Pinto, D. F., Wenderski, W., Christoffel, D. J., Salgado, J. S., Heifets, B. D., Crabtree, G. R., & Malenka, R. C.
Affiliations
  • Stanford University (US)
  • Stanford Medicine (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Malenka, Robert C.
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2021-07-08
Volume
46
Issue
11
Pages
2000-2010
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W3179609913
Cited by
56
References
92
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 2
FWCI
3.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (Graduate Research Fellowship)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Gilliam Fellowship)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health (F31 MH116588)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (F99 NS118735, RO1 NS046789)
  • Simons Foundation (SFARI 514863)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, serotonin signaling, 5-HT1B receptor agonist, MDMA, social dysfunction, nucleus accumbens, optogenetic stimulation, pharmacological rescue, social behavior
MeSH terms
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Serotonin, Social Behavior, Mice, DNA Copy Number Variations

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