CDK5 and autism: This link between Cdk5 dysfunction and neurodevelopmental deficits is further supported by findings that mice lacking the autism-associated gene Clcn4 exhibit synaptic deficits and reduced dendritic branching, which are accompanied by a notable decrease in Cdk5 expression, suggesting that disruption of the Cdk5 pathway may be a common feature in some forms of neurodevelopmental disorders [92].