Deficient Autophagy in Microglia Aggravates Repeated Social Defeat Stress-Induced Social Avoidance

Figure 5

The effect of microglial autophagy deficient on behavior changes. (a, b) The levels of social interaction (a) and social avoidance (b) in Cre-negative mice and Cre⁺ mice with or without RSD. The duration in the interaction (a) or avoidance (b) zone without and with an ICR mouse was analyzed and is shown (). One-way ANOVA followed by Turkey’s post hoc test was applied to all comparisons. Data are presented as the . ^$$ vs. ICR (-) Cre-negative. ^# vs. ICR (-) Cre⁺. , vs. ICR (+) Cre-negative. (c) The proportions of the time for the open arms in the elevated plus maze test as an index for anxiety of Cre-negative and Cre⁺ mice (). (d) The proportions of the sucrose intake in the sucrose preference test as an index for depression of Cre-negative and Cre⁺ mice (). One-way ANOVA followed by Turkey’s post hoc test was applied to all comparisons. Data are presented as the . , vs. Cre-negative or Cre⁺; repeated social defeat, Atg+/+; Cre-negative mice, Atg-/-; and Cre⁺;Atg^flox/flox mice. Naive: nonstressed; RSD: repeated social defeat.

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