الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is currently emerging as a global pandemic. It is characterized by impaired social communication and repetitive behaviors. Many theories about ASD etiology have been proposed but the most widely accepted one is that it is an interaction between environmental factors with genetic and epigenetic factors. Available drugs are not universally effective and result in marked deleterious effects, so there must be more investigations to find novel therapy and new targets in the management of ASD. Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely used medication to treat epilepsy, migraine, and bipolar disorder. However, valproic acid exposure during a specific period of pregnancy causes a variety of defects in the fetus, including skeletal malformation and behavioral impairments. Additionally, taking valproate during pregnancy causes cognitive impairment in the newborn, which is linked to autistic spectrum disorder symptoms. As a result, valproate exposure during pregnancy has been widely proposed as a useful animal model of autism.