Spotlight on mouse models of autism

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Mouse in a lab or maze hops around sniffing here and there

Why studying autism in mice may be doomed to fail

After more than a decade of effort, scientists are questioning whether mouse models of autism can ever capture the social deficits seen in people with the condition.

By Jessica Wright
21 March 2018 | 14 min read
scientist looks through binoculars showing a boy on one side, and a mouse on the other.

Why we need a mouse version of a diagnostic test for autism

Researchers have developed behavioral measures that can accurately diagnose autism in people; these lessons can and should be applied to mice.

By Amy Esler, Nicola Grissom
21 March 2018 | 6 min read

How variability among mouse strains can aid autism research

Researchers can convert the distinct genetic backgrounds of lab mice from a problem to an advantage, exploiting the differences to advance our understanding of autism.

By Valerie Bolivar
21 March 2018 | 4 min read
a row of colorful mice standing close together

Statistical errors may taint as many as half of mouse studies

Neuroscientists are sounding the alarm about ‘pseudoreplication,’ a widespread practice that studs the literature with false results.

By Bahar Gholipour
15 March 2018 | 7 min read
Two mice in a waiting room.

What to watch for when analyzing mouse behavior

Many tests for unusual behavior in mice are prone to operator error. Here’s how to avoid common traps.

By Alla Katsnelson
21 March 2018 | 7 min read
illustration of mouse on sale in a city

‘Outmoded’ mouse models of autism may still yield new advances

Many researchers question the value of three early mouse models of autism, but the models have their staunch supporters.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
21 March 2018 | 6 min read

‘Syntax’ of mouse behavior may speak volumes about autism

An algorithm that decodes and quantifies mouse body language could reveal the brain circuits underlying certain autism features.

By Hannah Furfaro
21 March 2018 | 6 min read

How to improve mouse models’ usefulness for understanding autism

Integrating human-specific genetic elements into mice may provide a permissive, ‘humanized’ environment for studying autism.

By James Noonan
20 March 2018 | 5 min read

‘Outdated’ mouse model exposes key disruptions in autism brain

A mouse model based on exposure to an epilepsy drug offers a useful window into the brain circuits altered in autism.

By Vikaas Sohal
21 March 2018 | 6 min read
three mice with one in the spotlight

‘Retired’ mice find new life as top models for autism

As the list of autism candidate genes grows, some mouse models of the genes turn up in long-forgotten studies.

By Jessica Wright
25 January 2018 | 6 min read

Inside Scoop From the Autism Anchors: The role of mouse models in autism

Our autism anchors, Raphael Bernier and James Mancini, explain how mouse models can help scientists understand the causes of autism and evaluate potential treatments for the condition.

By Spectrum
21 March 2018 | 1 min read
Spectrum stories podcast logo.

Spectrum Stories: Talking about autism mouse models

Scientists discuss the problems with using mice to study autism, and explain how the field might move forward.

By Jacob Brogan
21 March 2018 | 1 min read

From the archives

scientist with protective googles in the lab

Where’s the funding for translational research in autism?

A dearth of funding hobbles autism researchers’ ability to do what we can truly call translational science.

By Susan Bookheimer
23 January 2018 | 6 min read
Four white mice bike ahead of a white rat, who is juggling on a unicycle; suggesting that rats can do more for research than mice.

Meet the newest contestant in the scientific rat race

Mice have long been the mainstay of autism research, but a small group of scientists say rats are the superior choice. Rats are bigger, smarter, friendlier — and a lot more fun.

By Emily Sohn
15 March 2017 | 15 min read

From temperature to toys, strange stimuli skew rodent results

Interpreting mouse and rat behavior is tricky because of the hidden factors that can influence experiments.

By Jessica Wright
26 December 2016 | 2 min read
Mice in a house in a lab environment

Questions for Timothy Murphy: Mice take selfies of their brains

By coaching mice to position themselves under a microscope, researchers can regularly peer into their brains without disrupting the rodents’ social life.

By Jessica Wright
8 November 2016 | 7 min read

Working with mice? Question their background

A standard mouse strain used by researchers worldwide harbors an unintended mutation that impairs immune cell development — and may confound results.

By Jessica Wright
30 June 2016 | 4 min read

Genetic background may alter behavior of autism mice

Differences in the background genetics of mouse strains may modify the effects of autism genes, suggests a study published 11 March in Autism Research. The study looked at the behavior of mice with a mutation in neuroligin-3, a strong autism candidate gene.

By Jessa Netting
14 April 2014 | 5 min read

In mice, bullying may confound autism-like symptoms

Living with a large cagemate can cause mutant mice to demonstrate autism-like behaviors that researchers may misinterpret as originating from the mutation, according to a study published 15 April in Physiology of Behavior.

By Jessica Wright
13 July 2015 | 5 min read

Optimizing behavioral assays for mouse models of autism

As the number of autism rodent models climbs, it is a good time for the field to step back and consider the best practices for assessing autism-like symptoms in rodents, says Jacqueline Crawley.

By Jacqueline Crawley
23 September 2014 | 11 min read

Mice made with CRISPR usher in new era of autism research

Researchers have debuted two mouse models of autism made using the gene-editing tool CRISPR. Both strains lack one copy of CHD8, a gene with strong ties to autism.

By Jessica Wright
7 August 2017 | 6 min read

Cozy cage offers natural setting for mice to socialize

New cages for mice mimic the animals’ natural burrows, providing a realistic environment for studies of social behavior.

By Ann Griswold
6 December 2016 | 2 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Illustration of an open journal featuring lines of text and small illustrations of eyes and mouths.

Anti-seizure medications in pregnancy; TBR1 gene; microglia

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 2 December.

By Jill Adams
3 December 2024 | 1 min read

Novel neurons upend ‘yin-yang’ model of hunger, satiety in brain

The new type of leptin-sensitive cells curb hunger quickly—adding to an increasingly complex picture of brain circuits that control feeding behaviors.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
3 December 2024 | 5 min read

Imagining the ultimate systems neuroscience paper

A growing body of papers on systems neuroscience and on giant simulations of neural circuits involves data beyond the point that anyone can reasonably understand end to end. Looking ahead, “paper-bots” could solve that problem.

By Mark Humphries
2 December 2024 | 8 min read