Impact of cerebellar-specific genetic and circuit manipulations on the behavioral phenotype and cerebellar physiology in murine autism models

Clinical evidence suggests that developmental cerebellar injury and cerebello-cortical connectivity abnormalities are often present in autism. In mouse models, cerebellar-specific deletions of autism risk genes, or temporally constrained, developmental manipulations of cerebellar circuits, elicit autistic-like behaviors. Nonetheless, behavioral and electrophysiological findings are inconsistent within and across models. Additionally, while cerebellar manipulations during development can induce autistic phenotypes, studies of early cerebellar function and connectivity are scarce.

In this review, we discuss the impact of cerebellar-specific genetic mutations and circuit manipulations on adult behavior and cerebellar neuronal activity in murine autism models. We also explore how cerebellar development can impact the establishment of mature circuits, and we consider the existing gaps regarding the use of murine models to elucidate the cerebellar role in autism.