Mutation Alters the Early Development of Sensory Coding and Hunting and Social Behaviors in Larval Zebrafish.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are developmental in origin; however, little is known about how they affect the early development of behavior and sensory coding. The most common inherited form of autism is Fragile X syndrome (FXS), caused by a mutation in Mutation of in zebrafish causes anxiety-like behavior, hyperactivity, and hypersensitivity in auditory and visual processing. Here, we show that zebrafish -/- mutant larvae of either sex also display changes in hunting behavior, tectal coding, and social interaction.