Age and sex-dependent gut alterations in mice induced by neonatal immune activation with lipopolysaccharide.

Neonatal immune activation (NIA) through exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces adult behavioral changes in rodents that resemble symptoms of developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder. The neonatal timing of LPS exposure appears to play a crucial role in determining the nature and extent of long-term changes. This study aims to explore whether a 3-day LPS-NIA triggers sex- and age-related changes in gut function, potentially linking LPS-NIA to gastrointestinal dysfunction.

Selective rescue of heightened anxiety but not gait ataxia in a premutation 90CGG mouse model of Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.

A CGG-repeat expansion in the premutation range in the Fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1) has been identified as the genetic cause of Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder that manifests with action tremor, gait ataxia and cognitive impairments. In this study, we used a bigenic mouse model, in which expression of a 90CGG premutation tract is activated in neural cells upon doxycycline administration-P90CGG mouse model. We, here, demonstrate the behavioural manifestation of clinically relevant features of FXTAS patients and premutation carrier individuals in this inducible mouse model.