How do mice show symptoms of autism?
Autism is a human disorder, but mice can show symptoms of autism
too. In humans, classical hallmark symptoms of autism include
impaired social skills and increased repetitive behaviors. Many
autistic patients are awkward socially, and feel compelled to do things
like repeatedly flipping a light switch or washing their hands. While
mice cannot flip a light switch, they still find other ways to display
these same symptoms of autism.
Mice often show repeated behavior in the way they groom
themselves. In mice that are bred to be autistic, scientists sometimes
observe obsessive grooming, which leads to bald spots. Mice also show
abnormal social interactions, which is specifically evident in the way
autistic female mice care for their litters. Often times, female mice
that show autism symptoms cannot or will not take care of their litters,
so scientists often set up foster breeding systems to help the litters
survive.