Table 1.
Summary of genetic rodent models with cerebellar and behavioral abnormalities that parallel those observed in autism.
| Rodent model | Behavioral abnormalities | Cerebellar abnormalities | Prefrontal cortex abnormalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| FMR1 KO mice | Hyperactivity | Elongated spines on Purkinje cells | Hyperconnectivity of layer 5 pyramidal cells |
| Reduced spatial learning | Decreased volume of deep cerebellar nuclei | Synapses between layer 5 pyramidal cells do not recover from LTD as quickly as controls | |
| Memory deficits | |||
| Reduced fear conditioning | |||
| EN2 KO mice | Decreased play | Cerebellar hypoplasia | |
| Decreased social behaviors | Decreased Purkinje cell number | ||
| Reduced aggressive behavior | Foliation defects | ||
| Staggerer mutant mice | Impaired spatial and reversal learning | Cerebellar hypoplasia | |
| Memory deficits | Decreased Purkinje cell number | ||
| Perseverative behavior | Ectopic and atrophic Purkinje cells | ||
| Abnormal responses to novel environments | Decreased number of granule cells | ||
| Reduced volume in deep cerebellar nuclei | |||
| Shank3 mutant mice | Social abnormalities | ||
| Repetitive behavior | |||
| Learning and memory deficits | |||
| Lurcher mutant mice | Impaired behavioral flexibility | Decreased Purkinje cell number | Decreased mPFC dopamine release following DN stimulation |
| Repetitive behavior |