Altered prefrontal and cerebellar parvalbumin neuron counts are associated with cognitive changes in male rats.

Exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a common anti-seizure medication, in utero is a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). People with ASD often display changes in the cerebellum, including volume changes, altered circuitry, and changes in Purkinje cell populations. ASD is also characterized by changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), where excitatory/inhibitory balance is often altered.

Adolescent female valproic acid rats have impaired extra-dimensional shifts of attention and enlarged anterior cingulate cortices.

In order to develop better treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) it is critical to understand the developmental trajectory of the disorder and the accompanying brain changes. This study used the valproic acid (VPA) model to induce ASD-like symptoms in rodents. Prior studies have demonstrated that VPA animals are impaired on executive function tasks, paralleling results in humans with ASD.

Valproic acid treated female Long-Evans rats are impaired on attentional set-shifting.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social deficits, communication impairments, restrictive behaviors, and cognitive flexibility deficits. The valproic acid (VPA) model of autism has been widely used to examine changes in rodent behavior and neurobiology to better understand ASD. This study examined social and anxiety behavior as well as cognitive flexibility in VPA and control offspring.