Environmental Enrichment Remodels Brain Structural and Behavioral Plasticity in Restricted and Repetitive C58 Mouse Models

Abstract

Restricted and repetitive behaviors are characteristic of several neurodevelopmental disorders. While environmental enrichment has been shown to affect these behaviors, the underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we systematically explored the effects of environmental enrichment on brain structure and microstructure in C58 mice, a model of restricted and repetitive behaviors, compared to C57 control mice. Using structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging, we assessed regional brain volumes and microstructural properties and examined their association with behavioral outcomes. Our results revealed significant reductions in total brain volume in C58 mice, with region-specific volumetric changes following environmental enrichment exposure. Importantly, environmental enrichment promoted microstructural plasticity in both strains, with significant alterations in fractional anisotropy and fiber density. These neuroanatomical changes were linked to reductions in restricted and repetitive behaviors, with strain- and sex-dependent effects. Overall, our findings suggest that environmental enrichment remodels brain plasticity at both structural and microstructural levels, as well as behavior, providing insights into potential therapeutic approaches through environmental enrichment for neurodevelopmental disorders.