On September 18, 2024, the Autism Rat Models Consortium (ARC) held its annual meeting at the Usher Institute of the University of Edinburgh. This year’s event brought together ARC PIs and trainees who specialize in the use of rat models. The meeting featured a series of stimulating presentations, fruitful discussions and updates on the consortium’s latest projects.
The day began with opening remarks from Kelsey Martin, M.D., Ph.D. (Simons Foundation), Brigitta Gundersen, Ph.D. (Simons Foundation), and Peter Kind, Ph.D. (University of Edinburgh). Martin and Kind remembered the late Jim Simons, the co-founder of the Simons Foundation, for his passion and dedication to scientific research, especially on his contribution to the study of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Gundersen introduced the agenda, which was designed according to the big outstanding questions in autism research, and researchers from different laboratories collaboratively presented data to showcase their current knowledge on these questions. The opening introduction underscored the three aspects of SFARI’s support: research funding, field building and collaboration, and data, tools and resources.
Learning, Memory, and Synaptic Plasticity
The first session featured Emma Wood, Ph.D. (University of Edinburgh), who presented on the impact of Grin2b mutations on learning and synaptic plasticity using various behavioral paradigms such as the Morris water maze and one-trial memory task. Her research also highlighted the impact of GRIN2B mutation on place cell formation and stability over time.
Absence Seizures in Autism Models
Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser, Ph.D. (University of Edinburgh) and Paul Dudchenko, Ph.D. (University of Stirling) discussed their work on absence seizures in various rat models with mutations in autism risk genes. Their presentation examined how these seizures might contribute to cognitive impairments observed in these models such as REM sleep disruptions and memory deficits. Future research points to the possibility of stimulation therapy to stop or lesson the effects of seizures.
Sleep Disruptions and Autism
The effects of sleep disruptions in rat models of autism susceptibility genes were explored by Adrien Peyrache, Ph.D. (McGill University) and Shantanu Jadhav, Ph.D. (Brandeis University). They shared findings on the potential cognitive and behavioral consequences of irregular sleep patterns in individuals with autism, drawing parallels to observations in rat models. They described the different brain activity patterns observed during sleep in several models, including rats with Fmr1 mutations, and showed that some changes in these patterns are specific to particular developmental stages.
Sensory and Perceptual Anomalies in ASD
Carole Torsney, Ph.D. (University of Edinburgh) and Davide Zoccolan, Ph.D. (SISSA) focused on sensory processing changes in autism. Their research seeks to address both peripheral sensory disruptions and higher-order visual processing phenotypes, shedding light on how these issues might contribute to sensory phenotypes in autism.
Neurobehavioral Hierarchies
Sandeep Robert Datta, M.D., Ph.D. (Harvard University) demonstrated how hierarchical models can be used to analyze the movement of individual rats to understand higher-order behavioral states in rat models of ASD/NDD. David Kastner, M.D., Ph.D. (University of California, San Francisco) presented a data-driven analysis of rats’ behavior in a spatial alternation task that can be used to dissect different aspects of the phenotype of these animals.
Social Interactions
Bence Ölveczky, Ph.D. (Harvard University) presented his work in collaboration with Naoshige Uchida, Ph.D. (Harvard University) using agent-based interaction analysis to analyze social interactions in groups of rats. Kind presented the Habitat, a naturalistic physical and social environment that can be used to investigate social behaviors in rats in large cohorts (up to 30 individuals). He discussed the challenges with using such large cohorts and some potential solutions.
Individual Variability
Ugne Klibaite, Ph.D. (Harvard University) showed data on social interaction behavior in seven genetic rat models of ASD/NDD that show significant between- and within-model variability. Marino Pagan, Ph.D. (University of Edinburgh) presented data on individual differences in cognitive strategies and learning performance within a given genetic line.
Excitability and Compensatory Mechanisms
Kevin Bender, Ph.D. (University of California, San Francisco) presented his work as well as findings from the laboratory of Gina Turrigiano, Ph.D. (Brandeis University) on changes in neuronal excitability and compensatory mechanisms in the Scn2a rat model.
Collaboration and Data Sharing
One of the most important aspects of ARC’s work is ensuring access to shared data, a point emphasized by Loren Frank, Ph.D. (University of California, San Francisco) in his presentation on the consortium’s data-sharing initiatives.
This annual gathering of ARC members reinforced the consortium’s commitment to advancing autism research through pioneering research, open collaboration and shared resources. SFARI looks forward to another productive year of discovery and progress.
