An immune molecule can sometimes influence the social behavior of mice: study

Are mice considered an effective model for autism? My understanding is we still don't know the exact mechanism of action of autism. Heck, there could be many different mechanisms, and we're lumping people with different underlying conditions into a single category because the symptoms line up. So our model of autism is entirely based on behavior. But if the mechanism of action in these mice is different from humans, you can't make any real predictions about how to treat/manage it.

Makes sense, from an evolutionary standpoint, infections that resulted in more social behavior are more likely to spread and survive.

Inflammation and temperature rise effect increase energy needed to propagate an action potential down an axon. Many anxiolytics also downregulate inhibitory neuronal firing (ie, GABA agonists (alcohol), GABA allosteric agonists (benzodiazpines), etc).

&gt; The reason for that, the researchers found, is that in these mice [with certain genes missing and whose mother didn&#x27;t have inflammation while pregnant], inflammation did not stimulate IL-17a production.<p>What I wonder if baseline mice produce IL-17a in response to inflammation?<p>My guess would be no. I would also wonder if some low to moderate infection in mothers can spare the offspring from autism, but still prime IL production?

There is also at least one study showing (at least) flu infection compelling humans to be more sociable and outgoing, but it was (now that I think of it) conducted by comparing self reported social interaction counts before and after a flu vaccine containing (of course) flu virions.<p>See references in this article, because I have trouble copying them on mobile.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.psychologytoday.com&#x2F;intl&#x2F;blog&#x2F;darwins-subterranean-world&#x2F;201801&#x2F;does-the-flu-trick-people-being-sociable" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.psychologytoday.com&#x2F;intl&#x2F;blog&#x2F;darwins-subterrane...</a>

And vaccines prevent infections.<p>So in other words...<p>:P

in mice

Autism is characterized by autistic behavior. You cannot separate autistic behavior from an autistic person, it is simply their nature. These &quot;mouse models&quot; are inaccurate, as they&#x27;re based on behavioral observations in the mice and likening them to human behavior. We don&#x27;t really know how autism works and why, and we haven&#x27;t discovered actual autistic mice. In other words, it&#x27;s mostly extrapolation.<p>Anything can &quot;reduce autism symptoms&quot; that can make a neurotypical person unable to behave normally. Autistic behavior IS the normal for autistic people. Heavy sedatives, just like being very sick, can &quot;reduce autism symptoms&quot; since the person would be too tired to exhibit any behaviors at all.<p>&quot;Look, he&#x27;s not flapping and pacing! His autism must be cured!&quot; No, you dolt, he&#x27;s exhausted and miserable from being sick.<p>Leave autistic people alone and let them be themselves. Seriously, I can&#x27;t believe some people would rather let their kid die of polio than believe they could be autistic. If you think having an autistic child is that terrible, you probably shouldn&#x27;t have kids.

Autistic children are children, the same full irritating, exhuberant, noisy and magnet for troubles in a small package than before, but with a plus of cleverness, strange ways to do things, uncommon hobbies and extravaganza.<p>The idea that an ill children tired and with less energy than usual would behave better is not a total surprise.