Sex chromosome complement affects multiple aspects of reversal-learning task performance in mice

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Genetics
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Sex chromosome complement (SCC) influences brain development and behavior.
• Sex differences in psychiatric/neurodevelopmental disorders are linked to SCC and aneuploidies.
• Understanding SCC's role is crucial for diagnosing and treating related disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the direct effects of SCC on learning, attention, and impulsivity.
• To differentiate the roles of gonads versus SCC in behavioral outcomes.
• To assess cognitive processes in Four Core Genotypes (FCG) mice.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Four Core Genotypes (FCG) mouse model.
• Assessed behavioral performance on a reversal-learning task.
• Quantified learning, attention, and impulsivity through error types and response latencies.

Main Results:

• XY mice exhibited higher overall error rates and more perseverative errors than XX mice.
• XY mice showed shorter prepotent-response latencies and more failures to sustain observing responses.
• SCC influenced response selection patterns during learning and reversal without altering overall learning rate.

Conclusions:

• The sex chromosome complement (XX vs. XY) directly impacts cognitive functions like learning and attention.
• These findings provide insights into sex differences observed in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• SCC's non-gonadal effects on behavior are significant for understanding sex-chromosome aneuploidies.