Although much research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is focused on social and cognitive behaviors, recent evidence has highlighted sensory processing as a key alteration in ASD. Altered sensory experience is estimated to occur in as many as 90 percent of people with ASD and to affect every sensory modality, but the brain dynamics underlying impaired sensory integration in ASD are still largely unknown.

Three main brain structures are highly relevant to sensory integration alterations in ASD: the thalamus, cortex and amygdala. Understanding the mesoscale thalamo-cortico-amygdala network during sensory integration is of fundamental importance for understanding mechanisms underlying sensory processing differences in ASD.

Ariel Gilad and colleagues plan to combine wide-field cortical imaging in mice with multi-fiber photometry of the thalamus and amygdala. This technique enables access to a wide range of the thalamo-cortico-amygdala network (i.e., the whole dorsal cortex, 24 thalamic and 8 amygdala recording sites). Gilad’s research goal is to study aberrant interactions within this network in genetic mouse models of ASD during a sensory integration task. Several distinct models will be studied, starting with Shank3 knockout mice and continuing to other lines.

Findings from these studies are expected to advance our understanding of thalamo-cortico-amygdala network alterations in ASD, which is of fundamental importance for understanding sensory integration differences in ASD. Furthermore, it may aid in guiding non-invasive brain stimulation to specific areas within the network, resulting in a more effective treatment for ASD that could increase the quality of life for millions of individuals and their families.