Impaired repair of DNA damage is associated with autistic-like traits in rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid

Prenatal exposure to the antiepileptic and mood stabilizer valproic acid (VPA) is an environmental risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), although recent epidemiological studies show that the public awareness of this association is still limited. Based on the clinical findings, prenatal VPA exposure in rodents is a widely used preclinical model of ASD. However, there is limited information about the precise biochemical mechanisms underlying the link between ASD and VPA. Here, we tested the effects of increasing doses of VPA on behavioral features resembling core and secondary symptoms of ASD in rats.

Source: European Neuropsychopharmacology - November 23, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Michela Servadio, Antonia Manduca, Francesca Melancia, Loris Leboffe, Sara Schiavi, Patrizia Campolongo, Maura Palmery, Paolo Ascenzi, Alessandra di Masi, Viviana Trezza Source Type: research