Journal Article

A New Neurobehavioral Model of Autism in Mice: Pre- and Postnatal Exposure to Sodium Valproate

Cheh, Michelle, McRae, Paulette, Halladay, Alycia K., Reuhl, Kenneth R., Wagner, George C.

2006

Overview

Autism symptoms, including impairments in language development, social interactions, and motor skills, have been difficult to model in rodents. Since children exposed in utero to sodium valproate (VPA) demonstrate behavioral and neuroanatomical abnormalities similar to those seen in autism, the neurodevelopmental effects of this antiepileptic agent were examined in mice following its pre-or postnatal administration. Exposed pups were evaluated in a battery of neurodevelopmental procedures designed to assess VPA-induced retardation (wherein a behavior fails to mature on schedule), regression (wherein a behavior does mature on time but then deteriorates), or intrusions (wherein normal behaviors are overshadowed by stereotypic or self-injurious behaviors). The resulting observations were interpreted in the context of this new strategy to model autism.

• Publisher: Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Animals / Animals, Newborn / Anticonvulsants - toxicity / Attention - drug effects / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic Disorder - chemically induced / Autistic Disorder - diagnosis / Autistic Disorder - psychology / Behavior / Behavior Development / Biological and medical sciences / Body Weight / Brain / Child clinical studies / Developmental Delays / Developmental disorders / Disease Models, Animal / Dose-Response Relationship, Drug / Drug Use / Escape Reaction - drug effects / Etiology / Female / Females / Individualized Instruction / Infantile autism / Injuries / Intellectual Disability / Intellectual Disability - chemically induced / Intellectual Disability - diagnosis / Intellectual Disability - psychology / Interpersonal Relationship / Language Acquisition / Male / Measurement Techniques / Medical sciences / Mice / Mice, Inbred BALB C / Motor ability / Motor Activity - drug effects / Motor Development / Motor Skills - drug effects / Neurobehavioral functioning / Neurobehavioural functioning / Neurology / Neuropharmacology / Observation / Orientation - drug effects / Pharmacology. Drug treatments / Postpartum period / Postural Balance - drug effects / Pregnancy / Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease) / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychomotor Skills / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Psychopharmacology / Regression (Psychology) / Resistance (Psychology) / Self Destructive Behavior / Self injury / Self-Injurious Behavior - chemically induced / Self-Injurious Behavior - diagnosis / Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology / Social development / Social interaction / Social skills / Sodium / Stereotyped Behavior - drug effects / Stereotypes / Symptoms (Individual Disorders) / Valproic Acid - toxicity / Water