Altered Brain Structure in an ATRX ‐Deficient Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Journal article

Lay Summary: Changes in a gene called ATRX are known to affect brain development and are linked to intellectual disability and autism. In our previous work, we found that removing this gene early in brain development caused mice to show behaviors like those seen in people with autism. In this study, we used detailed brain scans to see if these behavioral changes were linked to differences in brain structure. We found that male mice without ATRX had smaller brains and bodies, while female mice did not show the same brain size reduction. However, both male and female mice had smaller areas of the brain important for memory and movement, and larger areas involved in thinking and sensing. We also saw changes in parts of the brain where ATRX was still present, suggesting that early changes in one area can affect how the whole brain develops. These findings help us understand how early disruptions in brain development might lead to autism‐related behaviors.

Authors: Quesnel, K; Ellegood, J; Lerch, JP; Bérubé, NG

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Autism Research
• Pages: e70205
• Article number: e70205
• Publication date: 2026-02-22
• Acceptance date: 2026-01-29
• DOI: 10.1002/aur.70205
• EISSN: 1939-3806
• ISSN: 1939-3792
• Language: English
• Keywords: autism; brain structure; mice; imaging; sex differences