Pre- and Postnatal Valproate Exposure Affects Brain Development.

This research review looks at how a medication called valproic acid affects brain development in laboratory animals (rats and mice) when given during pregnancy or after birth. Animals exposed to this medication showed changes in social behavior and brain structure, particularly in areas important for learning and movement. While these animal studies help researchers understand autism-like behaviors, the authors note that findings from animals don't always apply directly to humans.

This review examines valproic acid (VPA) exposure as an animal model for autism spectrum disorders, analyzing pre- and postnatal effects on brain development in rats and mice. Studies consistently demonstrate dose-dependent and timing-related behavioral alterations including changed social interaction and locomotor activity, alongside neuronal changes particularly in the hippocampus and cerebellum. The review emphasizes VPA's utility in modeling ASD-like behaviors while acknowledging limitations in translating animal findings to humans. Multiple administration methods across various strains show consistent results, highlighting the importance of understanding dose-related changes and critical exposure timing for long-term neurodevelopmental effects.

While VPA animal models provide valuable insights into ASD-like behaviors and brain development, direct clinical applications are limited due to species differences. The consistent behavioral and neurological findings across studies support continued research to refine these models for better human applicability.

This is a review of animal studies with acknowledged limitations in translating findings to humans. The review discusses face and construct validity concerns of the VPA model for human autism spectrum disorders.

This review investigates the teratogenic impact of valproic acid (VPA) on brain development, focusing on dose-dependent and timing-related behavioural and neurological outcomes in rats and mice, with an emphasis on using it as a model for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Single and multiple administration methods (e.g., oral gavage and intraperitoneal injections) across various rat and mouse strains consistently report behavioural alterations (i.e., altered social interaction and locomotor activity) and neuronal changes, particularly in the hippocampus and cerebellum. We underscore the importance of understanding dose-related changes and the critical role of VPA exposure in determining the long-term neurodevelopmental effects. While animal models provide valuable insights into the pre- and postnatal effects of drug exposure, this chapter also addresses the limitation of extrapolating such findings to humans given the face and construct validity of the model.

Overall, this review emphasises VPA's utility in modelling ASD-like behaviours and the need for ongoing research to refine these models for better applicability to humans.