Multi-region social-emotional network underlying the effects of spine pinching therapy on empathy-like behavior in a rat model of autism spectrum disorder

Background

Spine pinching is a promising alternative for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet its effects on multi-region molecular coordination remain unclear. This study examined the effects of spine pinching on cellular Fos proto-oncoprotein (c-Fos) and Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) expression in the prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and amygdala, and further analyzed expression patterns across these regions using profile analysis to explore the coordinated multi-region regulation underlying improvements in social and empathic deficits.