Mouse Models of Autism: Testing Hypotheses About Molecular Mechanisms Journal Articles

abstract

• Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is currently diagnosed by the presence of three behavioral criteria (1) qualitative impairments in reciprocal social interactions, (2) deficits in communication, including delayed language and noninteractive conversation, and (3) motor stereotypies, repetitive behaviors, insistence on sameness, and restricted interests. This chapter describes analogous behavioral assays that have been developed for mice, including tests for social approach, reciprocal social interactions, olfactory communication, ultrasonic vocalizations, repetitive and perseverative behaviors, and motor stereotypies. Examples of assay applications to genetic mouse models of autism are provided. Robust endophenotypes that are highly relevant to the core symptoms of autism are enabling the search for the genetic and environmental causes of autism, and the discovery of effective treatments.

authors

• Roullet, Florence
• Crawley, Jacqueline N

status

• published 

publication date

• 2011

has subject area

• Animals (MeSH)
• Autistic Disorder (MeSH)
• Disease Models, Animal (MeSH)
• Interpersonal Relations (MeSH)
• Mice (MeSH)
• Social Behavior (MeSH)

published in

• Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences  Journal

keywords

• Animals
• Autistic Disorder
• Disease Models, Animal
• Interpersonal Relations
• Mice
• Social Behavior

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1007/7854_2010_113

start page

• 187

end page

• 212

volume

• 7

issue

• 1