Mouse Behavior and Models for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are behaviorally defined disorders including attenuated or abnormal social interaction and communication, as well as aberrant repetitive behavior, with symptoms emerging early in childhood. Although the cause of autism has not been discovered, several data strongly support the role of genetic factors in its etiology. For this reason, preclinical research has focused on transgenic and knockout mice bearing mutations in genes identified in autistic children, with the aim of understanding the role of those genes in autism etiology, discovering the biological mechanisms underlying behavioral alterations observed and evaluating potential treatments. In past years, a number of behavioral phenotyping assays for rodent models of autism and related disorders have been developed. In the first part of our review, we describe these behavioral paradigms currently used in ASD rodent models; the second part is an overview of valid and robust animal models of ASD.