Sex Differences in Animal Models of Sodium Valproate-Induced Autism in Postnatal BALB/c Mice: Whole-Brain Histoarchitecture and 5-HT2A Receptor Biomarker Evidence
January 2022
in “
Biology
”
TLDR Male mice are more susceptible to autism-like changes from valproic acid than female mice.
The study investigated the effects of Sodium Valproate (VPA) on postnatal day 14 (PND 14) BALB/c mice, corresponding to the third trimester of human development. It found that VPA exposure resulted in autistic-like behaviors and neurodevelopmental delay. Male mice were more susceptible to VPA-induced autism than females, with higher rates of change in the cerebral cortex, frontal cortex, temporal lobe, and hippocampus. 5-HT2A receptor protein levels were upregulated in VPA-treated male mice. Both male and female mice experienced hair loss from PND 17 to 25. The study involved 12 mice in total, with 6 males and 6 females.
