Consequences of prenatal exposure to valproic acid in the socially monogamous prairie voles.

Scientific Reports
L SailerM Kabbaj

Abstract

Environmental risk factors contribute to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) etiology. In particular, prenatal exposure to the highly teratogenic anticonvulsant valproic acid (VPA) significantly increases ASD prevalence. Although significant discoveries on the embryopathology of VPA have been reported, its effects on the ability to form enduring social attachment-characteristic of ASD but uncommonly displayed by rats and mice-remains unknown. We aimed to examine the effects of prenatal VPA exposure in the social, monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Compared to prenatal vehicle-exposed controls, prenatal VPA-exposed prairie voles had lower body weight throughout postnatal development, engaged in fewer social affiliative behaviors in a familial context, exhibited less social interactions with novel conspecifics, and showed enhanced anxiety-like behavior. Along these behavioral deficits, prenatal VPA exposure downregulated prefrontal cortex vasopressin receptor (V1aR) and methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) mRNA expression, but did not alter spine density in adults. Remarkably, adult social bonding behaviors, such as partner preference formation and selective aggression, were not disrupted by prenatal VPA exposure. Colle...Continue Reading

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Datasets Mentioned

BETA
AF069304
NW004949275.1

Methods Mentioned

BETA
immunoprecipitation
PCR

Software Mentioned

SPSS
Neurolucida Explorer
Neurolucida 360
JWatcher
Zen
EthoVision XT

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