کد مقاله کد نشریه سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی نسخه تمام متن
3055926 1186544 2011 11 صفحه PDF دانلود رایگان
عنوان انگلیسی مقاله ISI
Early valproic acid exposure alters functional organization in the primary visual cortex
موضوعات مرتبط
علوم زیستی و بیوفناوری علم عصب شناسی عصب شناسی
پیش نمایش صفحه اول مقاله
Early valproic acid exposure alters functional organization in the primary visual cortex
چکیده انگلیسی

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders and affects 0.5 to 1% of pregnant women. The use of antiepileptic drugs, which is usually continued throughout pregnancy, can cause in offspring mild to severe sensory deficits. Neuronal selectivity to stimulus orientation is a basic functional property of the visual cortex that is crucial for perception of shapes and borders. Here we investigate the effects of early exposure to valproic acid (Val) and levetiracetam (Lev), commonly used antiepileptic drugs, on the development of cortical neuron orientation selectivity and organization of cortical orientation columns. Ferrets pups were exposed to Val (200 mg/kg), Lev (100 mg/kg) or saline every other day between postnatal day (P) 10 and P30, a period roughly equivalent to the third trimester of human gestation. Optical imaging of intrinsic signals or single-unit recordings were examined at P42–P84, when orientation selectivity in the ferret cortex has reached a mature state. Optical imaging of intrinsic signals revealed decreased contrast of orientation maps in Val- but not Lev- or saline-treated animals. Moreover, single-unit recordings revealed that early Val treatment also reduced orientation selectivity at the cellular level. These findings indicate that Val exposure during a brief period of development disrupts cortical processing of sensory information at a later age and suggest a neurobiological substrate for some types of sensory deficits in fetal anticonvulsant syndrome.

Research Highlights
► We developed a ferret model to assess the effects of early exposure to valproate.
► Valproate disrupts orientation selectivity columns and neuronal orientation tuning.
► Early exposure to valproate does not affect ocular dominance plasticity.

ناشر
Database: Elsevier - ScienceDirect (ساینس دایرکت)
Journal: Experimental Neurology - Volume 228, Issue 1, March 2011, Pages 138–148
نویسندگان
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