Basal ganglia and autism - a translational perspective

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
• Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

• The basal ganglia are key brain structures modulating habit learning, action selection, and performance.
• Emerging evidence suggests structural and functional alterations in the basal ganglia in individuals with autism.
• These alterations may disrupt normal information flow within interconnected brain circuits, affecting motor and cognitive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of the basal ganglia in autism spectrum disorder.
• To investigate how basal ganglia dysfunction contributes to motor and non-motor symptoms in autism.
• To highlight the impact of basal ganglia alterations on cortical network activity.

Main Methods:

• Review of neuropathology and neuroimaging findings in autism.
• Analysis of genetic models to understand cellular and molecular changes.
• Examination of basal ganglia's role in motor development milestones and cognitive functions.

Main Results:

• Autism is associated with volumetric changes and altered cell density in basal ganglia nuclei.
• Both basal ganglia and cerebellum are impacted in autism, connected via a disynaptic pathway.
• Altered basal ganglia function in autism disrupts motor skill acquisition and feedback to the cortex.
• Disturbed inhibitory balance in the basal ganglia impacts cortical network activity in autism.

Conclusions:

• The basal ganglia play a critical role in maintaining inhibitory balance between cortical and subcortical structures.
• Dysfunction in the basal ganglia's inhibitory role is implicated in autism.
• Basal ganglia alterations contribute to both motor and cognitive deficits observed in autism spectrum disorder.