Brief Report

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

  1. Wanda M. Snow1,
  2. Kelly Hartle2,
  3. Tammy L. Ivanco3,*

Article first published online: 2 SEP 2008

DOI: 10.1002/dev.20337

Issue

Developmental Psychobiology

Developmental Psychobiology

Volume 50, Issue 7, pages 633–639, November 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Snow, W. M., Hartle, K. and Ivanco, T. L. (2008), Altered morphology of motor cortex neurons in the VPA rat model of autism. Dev. Psychobiol., 50: 633–639. doi: 10.1002/dev.20337

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychology University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

  2. 2

    Department of Psychology Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba Manitoba Institute of Child Health, Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

  3. 3

    Department of Psychology Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Centre on Aging University of Manitoba P415 Duff Roblin, Winnipeg Manitoba Institute of Child Health, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3T 2N2

*Department of Psychology Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Centre on Aging University of Manitoba P415 Duff Roblin, Winnipeg Manitoba Institute of Child Health, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3T 2N2.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 OCT 2008
  2. Article first published online: 2 SEP 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 15 JUL 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 3 OCT 2007

Funded by

  • University Research Grants Program (URGP)
  • Faculty of Arts Professional Development Fund (APDF) at the University of Manitoba
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • Dr. Paul H.T. Thorlakson Foundation
  • Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
  • The Manitoba Innovation Fund
  • Carsen Group
  • MicroBrightField Inc.
  • Manitoba Health Research Council (MHRC)

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (174K)

Keywords:

  • valproic acid;
  • animal model;
  • long evans rats;
  • frontal cortex;
  • motor cortex;
  • dendrites;
  • plasticity (rodent;
  • plasticity;
  • motor;
  • embryonic;
  • early experience)

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.

Get PDF (174K)