Shibu Pranav, Ra Daniel, Robins Jemima Elise, Joseph Samuel, Anteraper Sheeba
Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Program in Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Cerebellum. 2025 May 2;24(4):93. doi: 10.1007/s12311-025-01843-w.
The inferior olivary nuclei (ION), a key component of the olivo-cerebellar system, remain understudied in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research despite evident cerebellar involvement. This perspective piece aims to elucidate the critical role of the ION in cerebellar microcircuitry and its potential implications in ASD pathophysiology. We review the olivo- cerebellar system and the structural and functional alterations of the ION in autism, highlighting findings from neuroanatomical, neuroimaging, and behavioral studies. ION disruptions, although underexplored, may have a major role in the symptomatology of ASD, particularly higher-order cognitive abilities, rapid stimuli processing, and motor coordination. Specifically, we highlight how anomalies in olivary neuron morphology and olivo-cerebellar connectivity patterns may underlie deficits in temporal processing and motor learning observed in ASD. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges in brainstem imaging and recent advancements in ultra-high field (UHF) 7 T MRI technology, as standard neuroimaging techniques. As these neuroimaging techniques continue to evolve, further investigation of the functional territories of the ION holds promise for providing essential understandings into ASD processes and may lead to pioneering therapeutic options targeting this crucial brainstem area.
下橄榄核（ION）是橄榄小脑系统的关键组成部分，尽管自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）研究中明显涉及小脑，但ION在该领域仍未得到充分研究。这篇观点文章旨在阐明ION在小脑微回路中的关键作用及其在ASD病理生理学中的潜在影响。我们回顾了橄榄小脑系统以及自闭症中ION的结构和功能改变，重点介绍了神经解剖学、神经影像学和行为学研究的结果。ION的破坏虽然尚未得到充分探索，但可能在ASD的症状表现中起主要作用，特别是在高阶认知能力、快速刺激处理和运动协调方面。具体而言，我们强调了橄榄神经元形态和橄榄小脑连接模式的异常可能是ASD中观察到的时间处理和运动学习缺陷的基础。此外，我们讨论了脑干成像的挑战以及作为标准神经成像技术的超高场（UHF）7T MRI技术的最新进展。随着这些神经成像技术的不断发展，对ION功能区域的进一步研究有望为深入了解ASD过程提供重要依据，并可能带来针对这一关键脑干区域的开创性治疗选择。
