Restoration of excitation/inhibition balance enhances neuronal signal-to-noise ratio and rescues social deficits in autism-associated Scn2a -deficiency

Social behavior is critical for survival and adaptation, which is profoundly disrupted in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Social withdrawal due to information overload was often described in ASD, and it was suspected that increased basal noise, i.e., excessive background neuronal activities in the brain could be a disease mechanism. However, experimental test of this hypothesis is limited. Loss-of-function mutations (deficiency) in SCN2A , which encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel Na _V 1.2, have been revealed as a leading monogenic cause of profound ASD. Here, we revealed that Scn2a deficiency results in robust and multifaceted social impairments in mice. Scn2a -deficient neurons displayed an increased excitation-inhibition (E/I) ratio, contributing to elevated basal neuronal noise and diminished signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during social interactions. Notably, the restoration of Scn2a expression in adulthood is able to rescue both SNR and social deficits. By balancing the E/I ratio and reducing basal neuronal firing, an FDA-approved GABA _A receptor-positive allosteric modulator improves sociability in Scn2a -deficient mice and normalizes neuronal activities in translationally relevant human brain organoids carrying autism-associated SCN2A nonsense mutation. Collectively, our findings revealed a critical role of the Na _V 1.2 channel in the regulation of social behaviors, and identified molecular, cellular, and circuitry mechanisms underlying SCN2A -associated disorders.