Cited by 135Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersNeuroendocrine regulation and behavior

Neuroanatomical analysis of the BTBR mouse model of autism using magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging

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Ellegood, Jacob, Babineau, Brooke A., Henkelman, R. Mark, Lerch, Jason P., Crawley, Jacqueline N.·2013·NeuroImage

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal reciprocal social interactions, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interests. Autism-relevant phenotypes in the inbred mouse strain BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) offer translational tools to discover biological mechanisms underlying unusual mouse behaviors analogous to symptoms of autism. Two of the most consistent findings with BTBR are lack of sociability as measured by the three-chamber social approach task and increased amount of time engaged in self-grooming in an empty cage. Here we evaluated BTBR as compared to two typical inbred strains with high sociability and low self-grooming, C57BL/6J (B6) and FVB/AntJ (FVB), on both the automated three-chambered social approach task and repetitive self-grooming assays. Brains from the behaviorally tested mice were analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging to investigate potential neuroanatomical abnormalities throughout the brain; specifically, to discover neuroanatomical mechanisms which could explain the autism-relevant behavioral abnormalities. Significant differences in volume and white matter microstructure were detected in multiple anatomical regions throughout the brain of BTBR compared to B6 and FVB. Further, significant correlations were found between behavioral measures and areas of the brain known to be associated with those behaviors. For example, striatal volume was strongly correlated to time spent in self-grooming across strains. Our findings suggest that neuropathology exists in BTBR beyond the previously reported white matter abnormalities in the corpus callosum and hippocampal commissure and that these brain differences may be related to the behavioral abnormalities seen in BTBR.

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  • The most striking neuroanatomical features of BTBR mice are the absence of corpus callosum and the extremely reduced hippocampal commissure, observed by diffusion tensor tractography and on histologic preparations.

    “The most striking neuroanatomical features of BTBR mice are the absence of corpus callosum and the extremely reduced hippocampal commissure, observed by diffusion tensor tractography and on histologic preparations [87, 96, 367].”

    From Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models (2017) · cites this paper as [96]

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Authors
Ellegood, J., Babineau, B. A., Henkelman, R. M., Lerch, J. P., & Crawley, J. N.
Affiliations
  • Hospital for Sick Children (CA)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (US)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
Corresponding author
Ellegood, Jacob
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-04
Volume
70
Pages
288-300
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2096358139
Cited by
135
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 5
FWCI
5.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Ontario Mental Health Foundation
  • Canadian Institute for Health Research
  • National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program
  • Ontario Brain Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, sociability, self-grooming, repetitive behavior, striatal volume, white matter microstructure, corpus callosum, hippocampal commissure, brain volume, inbred mouse strains
MeSH terms
Animals, Autistic Disorder, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Inbred Strains, Mice, Diffusion Tensor Imaging

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