Characterization of four types of tail abnormalities in rats treated prenatally with valproic acid
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant drug used mainly for the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder and \nschizophrenia. The VPA has been shown to be a potent teratogen that causes birth defects and malformations. \nLikewise, there are reports that suggest a relationship between the use of VPA during pregnancy and an increased \nincidence of children with neurological disorders such as autism. In humans, prenatal exposure to VPA produces \nmalformations including dimorphic facial features suggestive of a lesion in the neural tube, as in the case of spina \nbifida, heart disease, limb defects and craniofacial anomalies as well as genital abnormalities. Herein we describe \nfour tail abnormalities found in rats treated prenatally with valproic acid, which has been used as an animal model \nfor the study of autistic features. These malformations may be associated with neural damage, but further studies \nare needed in order to correlate each tail abnormality with the kind of neural alteration
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2181942826