Abstract
Background: Stereotypic behaviour can be defined as a clear behavioural pattern where a specific function or target cannot be identified, although it delays on time. Nonetheless, repetitive and stereotypical behaviours play a key role in both animal and human behaviour. Similar behaviours are observed across species, in typical human developmental phases, and in some neuropsychiatric conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disability. This evidence led to the spread of animal models of repetitive behaviours to better understand the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these dysfunctional behaviours and to gain better insight into their role and origin within ASD and other disorders. This, in turn, could lead to new treatments of those disorders in humans. Method: This paper maps the literature on repetitive behaviours in animal models of ASD, in order to improve understanding of stereotypies in persons with ASD in terms of characterization, pathophysiology, genomic and anatomical factors. Results: Literature mapping confirmed that phylogenic approach and animal models may help to improve understanding and differentiation of stereotypies in ASD. Some repetitive behaviours appear to be interconnected and mediated by common genomic and anatomical factors across species, mainly by alterations of basal ganglia circuitry. A new distinction between stereotypies and autotypies should be considered. Conclusions: Phylogenic approach and studies on animal models may support clinical issues related to stereotypies in persons with ASD and provide new insights in classification, pathogenesis, and management.
Highlights
The term ‘restrictive and repetitive behaviour’ (RRB) and its common alternative ‘abnormal repetitive behaviour’ (ARB) describe a wide range of behaviours, which share three common characteristics [3]: (1) the behaviour is displayed with high frequency of repetition; (2) it is performed in an invariant way; (3) the behaviour’s manifestation is inappropriate or odd
This paper aims at mapping the literature on the main animal models of stereotypies and repetitive behaviour, in order to identify some neurobiological mechanism that can enhance our understanding of such alterations in persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Literature mapping confirmed that phylogenic approach and animal models may help to improve understanding and differentiation of stereotypies in ASD
Summary
In ASD, RRBs are better defined by the presence of at least two of the following groups of symptoms: (i) stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech; (ii) insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviour; (iii) highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus; and (iv) hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment [1,2] This broad range of behaviours has been conceptualized in two clusters: (1) “lowerorder” motor actions (stereotyped movements, repetitive manipulation of objects and repetitive forms of self-injurious behaviour) characterized by repetition of movement, and (2) “higher-order” behaviours (compulsions, rituals, insistence on sameness, and circumscribed interests) that have a distinct cognitive component. Conclusions: Phylogenic approach and studies on animal models may support clinical issues related to stereotypies in persons with ASD and provide new insights in classification, pathogenesis, and management
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