Autistic-like behavioral effects of prenatal stress in juvenile Fmr1 mice: the relevance of sex differences and gene-environment interactions.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common heritable form of mental retardation and monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). FXS is due to a mutation in the X-linked FMR1 gene and is characterized by motor, cognitive and social alterations, mostly overlapping with ASD behavioral phenotypes. The severity of these symptoms and their timing may be exacerbated and/or advanced by environmental adversity interacting with the genetic mutation.