Animate vs. inanimate exploration in the sociability test.

Abstract

<p>(A–C) Comparison of animate (mouse) and inanimate (object, “empty”) exploration for the three mutants lines (Glu-CB1 [n = 22+13], GABA-CB1 [n = 18+23], D1-CB1 [16+16]) and their wild-type littermate controls during the sociability phase. (D–F) Exploration of the familiar and the novel interaction partner for during the social novelty phase. Glu-CB1^−/− mice displayed no significant change in the exploration session, where there was a choice between the object and the interaction partner. In the social novelty phase, however, the interaction with a novel interaction partner was decreased when compared with their wild-type littermate controls. GABA-CB1^−/− mice showed an increased social interaction in both sessions. In the D1-CB1 mutant line, no genotype differences were observed neither in the sociability nor in the social novelty phase. n = 11–20 animals; t-test *p<0.05, **p<0.01.</p