Drosophila melanogaster as a Substitute Model Organism for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The surge in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder; a Disarray typically defined by a wide variety of conditions marked by difficulties in social skills, repetitive behaviors, disorganized speech, and challenges with nonverbal communication has increased the quest to elucidate its underlying mechanisms and create effective treatments by maximizing different animal models. In recent decades, animal studies on autism spectrum disorder maximizing different animal models have increased. Despite the number of animal models in these findings, lasting alleviating measures have not been actualized, the known animal models are also associated with several limitations such as being too expensive, too unwieldy to handle, and characterized by a prolonged reproductive cycle, while in some areas of the world, they are becoming harder to acquire. In this regard, research is now focusing on the need to search for animal models unaffected by the stated limitations associated with the well-known animal models.  Drosophila Melanogaster (fruit fly) as a model organism in neurodegenerative, and neurodevelopmental diseases have been used by a few studies.   This review examines the significance of fruit flies as a more effective model for studying ASD.