Work

Conspecific Presence Promotes Social Buffering, Restores Social Reward, and Enhances Spatial Navigation in a Ketamine‐Induced Model of Schizophrenia in Mice

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Despite extensive research on the effects of enriched environments in mouse models of psychiatric disorders, the role of social context remains poorly explored. Therefore, we assessed the impact of a conspecific during the evaluation of negative and cognitive symptoms in a mouse model of schizophrenia (SCZ). Male C57BL/6J mice received daily injections of ketamine (25 mg/kg) or vehicle. Behavioral testing was conducted with mice either alone or in dyads of varying familiarity. Anxiety-like behavior and habituation were assessed using the 3D maze test (3DM). Social reward was measured with a social conditioned place preference test. Finally, episodic memory was evaluated using an object recognition memory test (ORMT). Ketamine induced anxiogenic-like behavior and impaired habituation, social reward, and spatial memory. In contrast, the presence of a conspecific induced anxiolytic-like behavior, accelerated habituation, and restored social reward. Additionally, greater dyad familiarity led to better performance in the 3DM. Conversely, the presence of a conspecific did not rescue cognitive deficits in the ORMT; however, spatial navigation in the 3DM was improved. These results support that the presence of a conspecific induces social buffering and promotes prosocial behavior. Therefore, this highlights a therapeutic effect modulated by social context and introduces a new model to evaluate social cognition in a mouse model of SCZ.

Source: European Journal of Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1111/ejn.70359