Micromolar Valproic Acid Doses Preserve Survival and Induce Molecular Alterations in Neurodevelopmental Genes in Two Strains of Zebrafish Larvae.

ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise a genetically heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by a multifaceted range of impairments and multifactorial etiology. Epidemiological studies have identified valproic acid (VPA), an anticonvulsant used to treat epilepsy, as an environmental factor for ASDs. Based on these observations, studies using embryonic exposure to VPA have been conducted in many vertebrate species to model ASD. The zebrafish is emerging as a popular model in biomedical research to study the molecular pathways involved in nervous system disorders. VPA exposure in zebrafish larvae has been shown to produce a plethora of effects on social, motor and anxiety behavior, and several genetic pathways altered by VPA have been described. However, the doses and regimen of a

SUBMITTER: Messina A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7601180 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature