Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine- Department of Physiology

Autism spectrum disorder is a construct used to describe individuals with a specific combination of impairments in social communication and repetitive behaviours, highly restricted interests and/or sensory behaviours beginning early in life. The worldwide prevalence of autism is just under 1%, but estimates are higher in high-income countries. There is a growing interest in effects of oxytocin in the brain development, especially in relation to the potential role of altered oxytocin signaling in autism pathogenesis. Oxytocin was given intranasally to male pups born to Valproic acid (VPA) treated dams (30æg/day in saline supplied by sigma, day after day for two weeks. Another group was given a wnt blocker (IWP2) by intraperitonial injection with a dose (0.3 mg/kg) before the administration of oxytocin. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of oxytocin treatment on behavioral changes in a Valproic acid (VPA)- induced rat model of autism. Also to assess biochemical and histological changes in an attempt to clarify the possible underlying mechanisms involved in its effect and finally, to explore the possible interaction between oxytocin and Wnt/{uF062} catenin pathway and to detect if Wnt pathway is central to disease pathogenesis and treatment. We found that oxytocin significantly reduced the serum and brain tissue level of inflammatory mediators IL6 and TNFÜ as well as the oxidative marker MDA, Caspase 3 and gene expression of {uF062} catenin beside the significant elevation of GSK. Moreover there was a significant behavioral and histopathological improvement. These results were attenuated with the use of the Wnt blocker which confirms the suggestion that oxytocin improvement of autism behavior changes may be produced through the Wnt/b-catenin pathway signaling

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