ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2020
Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Microglia and Synaptic Ultrastructure in a Brain-Region-Specific Manner in Young-Adult Male Rats: Relevance to Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers.
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Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 65 citations in OpenAlex.
- Targeted Restoration of the Microbial Tryptophan Oxidative Pathway Ameliorates Autism-Like Behavioral and Synaptic Deficits.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Sex differences in ferroptosis-related vulnerability to autism-like deficits in the adolescent medial prefrontal cortex following embryonic valproic acid exposure.Biology of sex differences · 2026Article
- From animal models to NAMs: a paradigm shift in developmental immunotoxicity testing.Archives of toxicology · 2026Review
- Effects of artichoke extracts and probiotic on maternal immunological activation, valproic acid-induced oxidative stress, and gut leakiness in a rat model of autism.Open life sciences · 2026Article
- Application to developmental toxicity testing of a novel method for whole-brain imaging of microglia in zebrafish.Current research in toxicology · 2026Article
- Protective effect of wild polysaccharides extracted fromFrontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Valproic Acid-Induced Autistic-Like Behavior Is Accompanied by Intestinal Damage Driving Changes in Gut Permeability in a Sex-Dependent Way in Rats.Journal of neurochemistry · 2025Article
- Stage-Dependent Disruptions in Neurogenesis and Neurotrophins' Production Following Prenatal and Postnatal Valproic Acid Exposure: Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorders.Cellular and molecular neurobiology · 2025Article
- Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid may Alter CD200/CD200R Signaling Pathways in a Rat Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder.Alpha psychiatry · 2025Article
- Prenatal modulation of NADPH-oxidase reverses the deranged GABA switch and rescues behavioral deficits in valproate ASD rat model.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Pre- and Postnatal Valproate Exposure Affects Brain Development.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2025Review
- Neural organoids incorporating microglia to assess neuroinflammation and toxicities induced by known developmental neurotoxins.Current research in toxicology · 2025Article
- Neuroprotective effects of Apigenin on prenatal Valproic acid-induced autism spectrum disorder in rats.IBRO neuroscience reports · 2024Article
- Article
- Three Decades of Valproate: A Current Model for Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder.Current neuropharmacology · 2024Review
- Insights into the structure and function of the hippocampus: implications for the pathophysiology and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Review
- Gestational hypothyroxinemia induces ASD-like phenotypes in behavior, proinflammatory markers, and glutamatergic protein expression in mouse offspring of both sexes.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
- Alterations of Purinergic Receptors Levels and Their Involvement in the Glial Cell Morphology in a Pre-Clinical Model of Autism Spectrum Disorders.Brain sciences · 2023Article
- Microtubule Cytoskeletal Network Alterations in a Transgenic Model of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Relevance to Autism Spectrum Disorders.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Glial-Neuronal Interactions in Neurological Disorders: Molecular Mechanisms and Potential Points for Intervention.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental conditions categorized as synaptopathies. Environmental risk factors contribute to ASD aetiology. In particular, prenatal exposure to the anti-epileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) may increase the risk of autism. In the present study, we investigated the effect of prenatal exposure to VPA on the synaptic morphology and expression of key synaptic proteins in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of young-adult male offspring. To characterize the VPA-induced autism model, behavioural outcomes, microglia-related neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress were analysed. Our data showed that prenatal exposure to VPA impaired communication in neonatal rats, reduced their exploratory activity, and led to anxiety-like and repetitive behaviours in the young-adult animals. VPA-induced pathological alterations in the ultrastructures of synapses accompanied by deregulation of key pre- and postsynaptic structural and functional proteins. Moreover, VPA exposure altered the redox status and expression of proinflammatory genes in a brain region-specific manner. The disruption of synaptic structure and plasticity may be the primary insult responsible for autism-related behaviour in the offspring. The vulnerability of specific synaptic proteins to the epigenetic effects of VPA may highlight the potential mechanisms by which prenatal VPA exposure generates behavioural changes.
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