Alteration in social interaction and tactile discrimination of juvenile autistic-like rats following tactile stimulation and whisker deprivation

Abstract

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that can affect sensory-motor behaviors in the valproic acid (Val) rodent model of autism. Although whisker deprivation (WD) induces plastic changes in the cortical neurons, tactile stimulation (TS) during the neonatal period may reverse it. Here, we investigate the interaction effects of TS and WD on behavioral and histologic features of barrel cortex neurons in juvenile Val-treated. Methods: Control (CTL, CTL–TS, CTL–WD, and CTL–TS–WD groups) and Val-treated (Val, Val–TS, Val–WD, and Val–TS–WD groups) rats of both sexes were subjected to behavioral tests of social interaction, and novel texture recognition, and Nissl staining. The TS groups were exposed to sensory stimulation for 15 min, three times/day; moreover, all whiskers in the WD groups were trimmed every other day from postnatal days 1 to 21. Results: Both prenatal valproic acid administration and postnatal WD decreased the rats’ performance percentage of the Val and CTL–WD groups of both sexes compared with the CTL groups in the social interaction and texture discrimination tests. Following TS, the performance of the Val–TS–WD group increased significantly compared to the Val group (p