6th Edition of Neurology World Conference 2026

Abstract

Usually seen as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a long life condition. Characterized by persistent challenges in social communication and interaction, aside from restricted interests and repetitive behavior, ASD has a wide range of risk factors, including environmental agents such as prenatal exposure to different chemicals, drugs, smoking, nutritional factors, or parental issues. Even if it is well-known that genetic predisposition is one of the main risk factors, environmental factors should be investigated due to their salient mode of action. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of vitamin B₆ on an induced ASD-animal model after five days of exposure.  For this study, zebrafish was chosen due to its popularity in the research field and also due to its advantages. After the accommodation period ended, zebrafish were randomly divided into four groups: control, vitamin B₆ (100 µM), valproic acid (300 µM), and the mixture (100 µM vitamin B₆ + 300 VPA µM). Each group had 10 animals. Fish were exposed to the vitamin for one hour, while VPA was constantly present in the experimental tanks.

Before exposure, the initial behavior was registered, followed by the first and last days of exposure. It was tested in the T-maze adapted for the social interaction test, where a social stimulus was placed in the left arm. Each session lasted 4 minutes. Also, heat maps were realized. The data was quantified through the EthoVision software, and the time spent in the left arm was taken to indicate social changes. The results obtained did not reveal significant differences in zebrafish sociability; thus, behavioral trends were recorded for each experimental group. After exposure to vitamin B₆, zebrafish presented behavioral improvements compared to the initial behavior.

Regarding the group exposed to VPA, it exhibited decreased time spent next to the social stimulus. When these compounds were given together, zebrafish showed ups and downs for each experimental day. The lack of a more pronounced behavior disturbance may be related to the chosen doses, time of exposure, and mode of exposure. In conclusion, exposure to vitamin B₆ and VPA triggered short-term effects in a zebrafish animal model for ASD.