Table 2.

Overlap between VPA model and ASD

ASD	Prenatal VPA model
Core Pathology [9]
Deficits in social interaction	Reduced social investigation, impaired attraction to maternal bedding, maternal odor-induced potentiation of startle
Impaired social communication	Reduced USVs and altered call structure
Repetitive/stereotypical behaviors	Increased stereotypic-like beam breaks [8, 57]
Additional Symptoms
Comorbid anxiety disorders [36, 37]	Reduced open field exploration in females Enhanced baseline startle amplitude in males
Early amygdala overgrowth [32]	Enhanced P10 nervous system and cellular development and function pathways
Reduced amygdala volume [11, 12], neuron number [15], and activity [19, 20] in adolescents and adults	Reduced P21 nervous system and cellular development and function, and enhanced cellular death and psychological disorder pathways
Gastrointestinal problems [97]	Enhanced P21 gastrointestinal tract and colorectal cancer genes
Immune alterations [96]	Altered P10 and P21 immune function and cancer pathways
Male predominance [64]	Behavioral alterations primarily in males