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Cited by 72Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Altered morphology of motor cortex neurons in the VPA rat model of autism

Snow, Wanda M., Hartle, Kelly, Ivanco, Tammy L.·2008·Developmental Psychobiology
DOI 10.1002/dev.20337
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Abstract

Autism occurs in 1 in 1,000 children and incidence may be increasing. Investigating brain development and developmental injury in humans is difficult. As such, many studies rely on animal models of disorders. We chose to investigate the valproic acid‐exposed rat, as this model shares many similarities with autism. Pregnant Long‐Evans rats were administered either valproic acid (VPA) or saline during fetal neural tube development. Morphological analyses of cells in layer II of the golgi impregnated motor cortex were done to determine dendritic length, volume, and complexity in both groups. No differences were found in length or volume of cortical dendrites, but dendritic arborization was more complex in apical dendrites of pyramidal cells in VPA‐exposed animals than controls. The implication of this finding is that pruning in the VPA‐exposed rat is not occurring, which is consistent with theories related to abnormal human brain development in autism. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 633‐639, 2008.

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  • Higher dose VPA exposure in rodents results in reduced brain weight, whereas lower dose does not affect brain weight.

    “Exposure to a higher dose of VPA in rodents results in reduced brain weight [250, 265], whereas a lower dose does not affect brain weight [331].”

    From Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models (2017) · cites this paper as [331]

  • In rodent models of prenatal VPA exposure, basal dendrites show no change in length on layer II pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex, decreased length and complexity in the medial PFC and hippocampal CA1, and increased length and complexity in the nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala.

    “Basal dendrites in rodent models of prenatal VPA exposure show no change in length on layer II pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex [331], decreased length and complexity in the medial PFC [297] and the hippocampal CA1, and increased length and complexity in the nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala [42].”

    From Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models (2017) · cites this paper as [331]

  • In prenatal VPA models, apical dendrite complexity but not length is increased on layer II pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex, decreased in the medial PFC, or unchanged in layer V pyramidal neurons of the somatosensory cortex.

    “In the case of apical dendrites, complexity, but not length, is increased on layer II pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex [331], decreased in the medial PFC [297], or is unchanged in layer V pyramidal neurons of the somatosensory cortex following VPA exposure in rodents [301].”

    From Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models (2017) · cites this paper as [331]

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Authors
Snow, W. M., Hartle, K., & Ivanco, T. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Manitoba (CA)
  • Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CA)
Corresponding author
Ivanco, Tammy L.
ORCID
Venue
Developmental Psychobiology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2008-09-02
Volume
50
Issue
7
Pages
633-639
ISSN
  • 0012-1630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-2302
DOI
10.1002/dev.20337
OpenAlex
W1987778037
Cited by
72
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 3
FWCI
2.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Developmental Psychobiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, valproic acid, prenatal valproic acid exposure, motor cortex, dendritic morphology, dendritic branching, pyramidal neurons, neuronal pruning, brain development, animal models of autism, Golgi impregnation
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Animals, Autistic Disorder, Dendrites, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Male, Motor Cortex, Neurons, Pregnancy, Valproic Acid, Pyramidal Cells, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats

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