Fig. 2

Maternal zinc supplementation prevents repetitive grooming behaviour in adult offspring Shank3^−/− mice. Repetitive grooming behaviours, as measured by the percentage of time spent wiping, scratching, rubbing or licking of the hands, face, head, ears, body or tail, measured in wildtype and Shank3^−/− offspring mice from mothers fed normal and supplemented zinc levels. a No significant difference was observed in wildtype (WT) and Shank3^−/− mice at 3 weeks of age (WT control maternal zinc diet (MZD) n = 11, Shank3^−/− control MZD n = 9, WT supplemented MZD n = 12, Shank3^−/− supplemented MZD n = 8). b At 16 weeks of age increased repetitive grooming behaviour was observed in Shank3^−/− offspring mice from the control maternal zinc diet group (WT n = 8, Shank3^−/−n = 7), and this was no longer present in Shank3^−/− offspring mice in the supplemented maternal zinc diet group (WT n = 8, Shank3^−/−n = 7). All data represent mean ± standard error of the mean, analysed using two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. All dots represent data points from individual mice. NS = not significant, *p < 0.05