Hippocampal place cell sequences are impaired in a rat model of Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause impairments in spatial cognition and memory. The hippocampus is thought to support spatial cognition through the activity of place cells, neurons with spatial receptive fields. Coordinated firing of place cell populations is organized by different oscillatory patterns in the hippocampus during specific behavioral states. Theta rhythms organize place cell populations during awake exploration. Sharp wave-ripples organize place cell population reactivation during waking rest. Here, we examined the coordination of CA1 place cell populations during active behavior and subsequent rest in a rat model of FXS (Fmr1 knockout rats). While the organization of individual place cells by the theta rhythm was normal, the coordinated activation of sequences of place cells during individual theta cycles was impaired in Fmr1 knockout rats. Further, the subsequent replay of place cell sequences was impaired during waking rest following active exploration. Together, these results expand our understanding of how genetic modifications that model those observed in FXS affect hippocampal physiology and suggest a potential mechanism underlying impaired spatial cognition in FXS. Significance StatementFragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause impaired memory and atypical spatial behaviors such as "elopement" (i.e., wandering off and becoming lost). Activity in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus supports spatial memory and spatial cognition, making it an important candidate to study in the context of FXS; however, how neuronal population activity in CA1 is affected by FXS is poorly understood. In this study, we found that the coordination of populations of CA1 neurons during active behavior and waking rest was impaired in a rat model of FXS. These results reveal hippocampal physiological deficits that may contribute to cognitive impairments in FXS.