Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks
Early predispositions to preferentially orient toward cues associated with social partners have been documented in several vertebrate species including human neonates and domestic chicks. Human newborns at high familiar risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show differences in their attention towar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.00501/full |
| _version_ | 1828521476142137344 |
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| author | Elena Lorenzi Alessandra Pross Orsola Rosa-Salva Elisabetta Versace Elisabetta Versace Paola Sgadò Giorgio Vallortigara |
| author_facet | Elena Lorenzi Alessandra Pross Orsola Rosa-Salva Elisabetta Versace Elisabetta Versace Paola Sgadò Giorgio Vallortigara |
| author_sort | Elena Lorenzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Early predispositions to preferentially orient toward cues associated with social partners have been documented in several vertebrate species including human neonates and domestic chicks. Human newborns at high familiar risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show differences in their attention toward these predisposed stimuli, suggesting potential impairments in the social-orienting mechanisms in ASD. Using embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA) we modeled ASD behavioral deficits in domestic chicks. To investigate social predispositions toward animate motion in domestic chicks, we focused on self-propulsion, using two video-animations representing a simple red circle moving at constant speed (speed-constant) or one that was changing its speed (accelerating and decelerating; speed-change). Using a spontaneous choice test for the two stimuli, we compared spontaneous preferences for stimuli that autonomously change speed between VPA- and vehicle-injected chicks. We found that the preference for speed changes was abolished in VPA-injected chicks compared to vehicle-injected controls. These results add to previous findings indicating similar impairments for static social stimuli and suggest a specific effect of VPA on the development of mechanisms that enhance orienting toward animate stimuli. These findings strengthen the hypothesis of an early impairment of predispositions in the early development of ASD. Hence, early predispositions are a potentially useful tool to detect early ASD symptoms in human neonates and to investigate the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the onset of this neurodevelopmental disorder. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T19:49:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9c690bf3e22a4575a27893cb281fbb1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T19:49:37Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c690bf3e22a4575a27893cb281fbb1e2022-12-22T00:52:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2019-04-011010.3389/fphys.2019.00501429186Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched ChicksElena Lorenzi0Alessandra Pross1Orsola Rosa-Salva2Elisabetta Versace3Elisabetta Versace4Paola Sgadò5Giorgio Vallortigara6Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyDepartment of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United KingdomCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyCenter for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, ItalyEarly predispositions to preferentially orient toward cues associated with social partners have been documented in several vertebrate species including human neonates and domestic chicks. Human newborns at high familiar risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show differences in their attention toward these predisposed stimuli, suggesting potential impairments in the social-orienting mechanisms in ASD. Using embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA) we modeled ASD behavioral deficits in domestic chicks. To investigate social predispositions toward animate motion in domestic chicks, we focused on self-propulsion, using two video-animations representing a simple red circle moving at constant speed (speed-constant) or one that was changing its speed (accelerating and decelerating; speed-change). Using a spontaneous choice test for the two stimuli, we compared spontaneous preferences for stimuli that autonomously change speed between VPA- and vehicle-injected chicks. We found that the preference for speed changes was abolished in VPA-injected chicks compared to vehicle-injected controls. These results add to previous findings indicating similar impairments for static social stimuli and suggest a specific effect of VPA on the development of mechanisms that enhance orienting toward animate stimuli. These findings strengthen the hypothesis of an early impairment of predispositions in the early development of ASD. Hence, early predispositions are a potentially useful tool to detect early ASD symptoms in human neonates and to investigate the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the onset of this neurodevelopmental disorder.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.00501/fullvalproic acidsocial predispositionsnewly-hatched chickautism spectrum disorderanimacyGallus gallus |
| spellingShingle | Elena Lorenzi Alessandra Pross Orsola Rosa-Salva Elisabetta Versace Elisabetta Versace Paola Sgadò Giorgio Vallortigara Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks Frontiers in Physiology valproic acid social predispositions newly-hatched chick autism spectrum disorder animacy Gallus gallus |
| title | Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks |
| title_full | Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks |
| title_fullStr | Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks |
| title_short | Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks |
| title_sort | embryonic exposure to valproic acid affects social predispositions for dynamic cues of animate motion in newly hatched chicks |
| topic | valproic acid social predispositions newly-hatched chick autism spectrum disorder animacy Gallus gallus |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.00501/full |
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