Fig. 1

Young adult Mecp2 heterozygous females show reduced anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors. WT and Mecp2.het females, both naive and MS groups, were tested in the EPM, OF, and FST to assess anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors (WT-naive, n = 14; WT-MS, n = 13; Mecp2.het-naive, n = 12; Mecp2.het-MS, n = 18). In the EPM, A no differences were found among groups in the total distance travelled in the maze, but B Mecp2.het females spent significantly longer time in the open arms of the maze as compared to WT littermates. In the open field, C Mecp2.het females showed a reduction in the total distance traveled in the maze, as compared to WT animals, but D no differences were found in the percentage of time spent in center among groups. In the FST, E Mecp2.het females spent significantly less time immobile than their WT littermate controls. EPM, elevated plus maze; FST, forced swim test; Mecp2.het, Mecp2 heterozygous females; MS, maternal separation; OF, open field; WT, wild type; vs, versus. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001