Zinc as a therapy in a rat model of autism prenatally induced by valproic acid

Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
Luana Carvalho CezarLuciano F Felicio

Abstract

Autism is characterized by numerous behavioral impairments, such as in communication, socialization and cognition. Recent studies have suggested that valproic acid (VPA), an anti-epileptic drug with teratogenic activity, is related to autism. In rodents, VPA exposure during pregnancy induces autistic-like effects. Exposure to VPA may alter zinc metabolism resulting in a transient deficiency of zinc. Therefore, we selected zinc as a prenatal treatment to prevent VPA-induced impairments in a rat model of autism. Wistar female rats received either saline solution or VPA (400 mg/kg, i.p) on gestational day (GD) 12.5. To test the zinc supplementation effect, after 1 h of treatment with saline or VPA, a dose of zinc (2 mg/kg, s.c.) was injected. The offspring were tested for abnormal communication behaviors with an ultrasound vocalization task on postnatal day (PND) 11, repetitive behaviors and cognitive ability with a T-maze task on PND 29, and social interaction with a play behavior task on PND 30. Tyrosine hydroxylase protein (TH) expression was evaluated in the striatum. Prenatal VPA decreased ultrasonic vocalization, induced repetitive/restricted behaviors and cognitive inflexibility, impaired socialization, and reduced striatal...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 18, 2020·International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience·Bruna da Silveira de MattosRoselia Maria Spanevello
Jul 28, 2020·Brain Sciences·Chiara Alessia DeBenedictisAndreas Martin Grabrucker
Dec 14, 2018·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience·Hsiao-Ying Kuo, Fu-Chin Liu
Nov 26, 2020·Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry·Esraa M ElnahasSawsan Aboul-Fotouh
Jul 11, 2018·Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy = Biomédecine & Pharmacothérapie·Paula Fabiana Saldanha TschinkelValter Aragão Nascimento
Aug 19, 2020·Developmental Neuroscience·Devahuti ChalihaJohn Mamo
Nov 22, 2021·Neurotoxicology and Teratology·Abouzar ShafaghiHamideh Bashiri
Jan 18, 2022·Nutritional Neuroscience·Ayat Bani RashaidFeda Al-Tamimi

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