Fig. 3

Quantification of changes in genetic neuroplasticity markers derived by the shank3 mutation and analysis of their interrelated effects on attention. (a) Compared to wild types, shank3a mutants presented decreases in the expression of two neuroligin genes, nlgn1 and nlgn2, and increases in the expression of the synaptic strengthening genes npas4 and bdnf, and the neurogenesis genes wnt3 and neurod. (b) Based on absolute correlations between their expression levels (|r|), neuroligins clustered with shank3a, which (c) was quantified by PCA as a functionality-based composite synaptogenesis component, while all other genes clustered separately and quantified as a broad neuronal plasticity component. (d) Only the synaptogenesis component presented significant associations to the levels of attention towards the distressed conspecific exhibited during the social contagion test. [*P ≤ 0.05, **P ≤ 0.01, ***P ≤ 0.001, ****P ≤ 0.0001]