ArticleDevelopmental neuroscience2025
Region-Specific Brain Volume Changes Emerge in Adolescence in the Valproic Acid Model of Autism and Parallel Human Findings.
Article in Developmental neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prenatal valproic acid exposure in rodent models of autism: a systematic review of neurobehavioral physiological alterations.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Differential Neurodevelopmental Disruption by Bisphenol A (BPA) and Valproic Acid (VPA) in Human Forebrain Organoids.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Altered prefrontal and cerebellar parvalbumin neuron counts are associated with cognitive changes in male rats.Experimental brain research · 2024Article
- Aerobic exercise improves cognitive flexibility and modulates regional volume changes in a rat model of autism.Behavioural brain research · 2024Article
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Abstract
introductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, cognitive dysfunction, and stereotyped repetitive behaviors. Regional volume changes are commonly observed in individuals with ASD. To examine volumetric dysregulation across adolescence, the valproic acid (VPA) model was used to induce ASD-like phenotypes in rats.
methodRegional volumes were obtained via magnetic resonance imaging at either postnatal day 28 or postnatal day 40 (P40), which correspond to early and late adolescence, respectively.
resultsConsistent with prior research, VPA animals had reduced total brain volume compared to control animals. A novel outcome was that VPA animals had overgrown right hippocampi at P40. Differences in the pattern of development of the anterior cingulate cortex were also observed in VPA animals. Differences for the posterior cingulate were only observed in males, but not females.
conclusionThese results demonstrate differences in region-specific developmental trajectories between control and VPA animals and suggest that the VPA model may capture regional volume changes consistent with human ASD.
introductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, cognitive dysfunction, and stereotyped repetitive behaviors. Regional volume changes are commonly observed in individuals with ASD. To examine volumetric dysregulation across adolescence, the valproic acid (VPA) model was used to induce ASD-like phenotypes in rats.
methodRegional volumes were obtained via magnetic resonance imaging at either postnatal day 28 or postnatal day 40 (P40), which correspond to early and late adolescence, respectively.
resultsConsistent with prior research, VPA animals had reduced total brain volume compared to control animals. A novel outcome was that VPA animals had overgrown right hippocampi at P40. Differences in the pattern of development of the anterior cingulate cortex were also observed in VPA animals. Differences for the posterior cingulate were only observed in males, but not females.
conclusionThese results demonstrate differences in region-specific developmental trajectories between control and VPA animals and suggest that the VPA model may capture regional volume changes consistent with human ASD.
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