Fig. 3

Hippocampal excitation/inhibition imbalance occurs in a sex-dependent manner in Nf1^+/− animals. a Magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that mutant females have an increase of GABA concentration (**p < 0.01, comparing with their littermates WT), b without changes in glutamate concentration. c Accordingly, mutant females display a significant increase in ratio of GABA/glutamate (**p < 0.01, comparing with their littermates WT). d Nevertheless, it was found that the Nf1^+/− mutation leads to a reduction of protein levels of GABA(A) receptor in male cytosolic fraction (*p < 0.05, compared with their littermates WT and with mutant females). On the other hand, transgenic females presented an upregulation of expression of GABA(A) receptor at synaptic fraction (*p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01, compared with mutant males and with WT females, respectively). No changes were detected in total fraction. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM, n = 4–7. Statistical significance was found by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test