BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) inbred mice are frequently used as a model of autism spectrum 
disorders (ASD) as they display social deficits and repetitive behaviors that 
resemble the symptoms of the human syndrome. Since deficits on tasks that 
measure cognitive (executive) control are also reliable phenotypes in ASD, we 
wanted to determine whether executive abilities were compromised in the mouse 
model. BTBR mice were trained on two visual discrimination paradigms requiring 
differing degrees of cognitive control. BTBR mice performed normally on a visual 
discrimination reversal where rule switching was relatively automatic, but were 
severely impaired on a task-switch paradigm that required the active use of 
contextual information to switch between rules in a flexible manner. The present 
findings further characterize the behavior of BTBR mice as a model of ASD. 
Moreover, the demonstration of both intact and impaired executive functions in 
BTBR mice illustrates the importance of developing new cognitive assays for 
comprehensive behavioral assessment of mouse models of human brain disorders.