The Study of the State of Monoaminergic Systems in the Brain Structures of the Offsprings of Female BALB/c Mice at Different Stages of Formation of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract—The study of the status of norepinephrine-, dopamine- and serotonergic neurotransmitter systems of BALB/C mice brain structures on 15 and 64 days of postnatal development (PD) in the model of autistic disturbances induced by injection of sodium valproate (SV, 400 mg/kg , s/c) to pregnant females was carried out using the HPLC/ED method. The level of both catechol- and indolamines in the brain structures of control mice at the age of 15 days was significantly lower than in adult animals at the age of 64 days. Prenatal administration of SV caused a decrease in all parameters of monoaminergic neurotransmission in the striatum of offspring at the age of 15 days but had no effect in other brain structures studied. Subsequently, the level of dopamine increased and by the 64th day of PD did not differ from the parameters of the control group. The parameters of the serotonergic system changed in a similar pattern, with the content of serotonin and the serotonin metabolite 5-OIAA in the striatum increasing gradually and reaching maximum values by the 64th day of PD. Our data allows to assume that the administration of SV to pregnant females affects the activity of the dopamine and serotonergic systems of the brain of the offspring causing a decrease in their activity in the striatum by the 15th day of PD followed by restoration to control values by the 64th day, which we previously observed in male pups. Thus, the patterns of dynamic changes in the neurochemical profile do not differ between males and females.