Cerebellar Plasticity Changes in an Experimental Model of Autism Induced by Maternal Separation

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex pathophysiology that affects different areas of the brain. Evidence over the past decade indicated a role for the cerebellum in social skills in connection with neuropathological changes. In this study, we examined cerebellar plasticity in rats that exhibited autistic-like behaviors after maternal separation (MS). We showed that autistic-like behaviors were associated with changes in cerebellar volume size. We for the first time showed the decreased volume of the cerebellum in the maternal separation animal model of autism, supporting the involvement of the cerebellum in the pathophysiology of autism.

Keywords:

Autism Spectrum Disorders , Cerebellum , Maternal Separation