ArticleAnnals of medicine and surgery (2012)2024
Improvement of autistic-like behaviors in adult rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid through early suppression of orexin receptor.
Article in Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluation of metabolism-related molecules in rat model of autism spectrum disorders.Experimental physiology · 2026Article
- Orexin receptors: possible therapeutic targets for psychiatric disorders.Psychopharmacology · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
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Abstract
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disabling psychiatric disease characterized by impairments in communication and social skills. The pathophysiology of autism is complex and not fully known. Considering the incidence of sleep disorders in individuals with ASD and the important role of orexin in sleep, it is possible to hypothesize that an alteration of the orexinergic system could be implicated in the pathogenesis of autism symptoms. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of suvorexant [dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs)] on autism-like behavior in prenatally valproic acid (VPA)-exposed rats]. Methods: Wistar female rats were administered VPA [600 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)] or normal saline (10 ml/kg, i.p.; vehicle control) on gestational day 12.5. Thirty-two male offspring were divided into four groups: Control, VPA, Suvorexant+VPA, and VPA+Risperidone. The pups were given suvorexant [20 ml/kg, by mouth/orally (p.o.)] or risperidone (1 ml/kg, p.o.) daily from postnatal day (PND) (40-54). The offspring were tested for repetitive behaviors and cognitive ability with a Y-maze task on PND 55, and social interaction was assessed by play behavior in the open field on PND 56. And anxiety with using the three-chamber social assay on PND 56. Results: In the Y-maze apparatus, spontaneous alteration significantly decreased in the prenatal VPA-treated rats compared to control rats showing autistic-like behavior, and 2-week suvorexant increased the alternation, indicating the beneficial effect of suvorexant. Prenatal treatment with VPA, impaired play behavior (sniffing, grooming, and darting), and increased anxiety-related behavior. Suvorexant treatment attenuated the problems in male offspring's social behavior. Conclusion: Our results showed that suvorexant improved ASD-associated behaviors in the VPA-treated rats, and the orexinergic system may be associated with the pathogenesis of autism symptoms.
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