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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Strategies for Assessing Autistic-Like Behaviors in Mice
Published on: September 20, 2024
[Autism: more evidence of a genetic cause]
Thomas Bourgeron1, Marion Leboyer, Richard Delorme
1Laboratoire de génétique humaine et fonctions cognitives, Institut Pasteur, 25, rue du Dr Roux 75015 Paris.
Abstract:
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect at least 1/200 individuals. They are characterized by impaired communication skills and social interaction, as well as restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviours. Recent studies point to a role of a synaptic pathway, including synaptic cell adhesion molecules (neuroligins and neurexins) and scaffolding proteins (SHANK3). Abnormal synapse formation/maintenance and an imbalance between GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic currents seem to be involved in the etiology of ASD.
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