Skip navigation  Calls to Action  Synaptic Function in Mouse
Models of Disorders Associated with Autism.  State/Province
Full:  United States  Because of autism is a complex
neurobiological disorder with multiple causes, it has been
useful to develop animal models that recapitulate only some of
the symptoms of the disorder to isolate specific genes of
interest and their influence on the spectrum of behavioral
disturbances. Fragile X and Rett Syndrome are two
neurodevelopmental disorders that result in mental retardation
and autistic behavior. Each of these disorders is caused by the
disruption of a single gene and therefore it has been possible
to generate a model of the human disease by genetic mutation in
mice. The mouse models for these two syndromes display many of
the same traits as the human disease, including some
neurobiological and neuropathological correlates. This study
will record activity from individual neurons in the
somatosensory region of Fragile X and Rett Syndrome mice in
order to examine t