title: A potential mechanism of slowed pubertal maturation after chronic administration of sodium valproic acid.
abstract: Sodium valproic acid (VPA) occasionally delays pubertal maturation in children and gonadal and skeletal growth in juvenile, seizure-prone, inbred DBA/2J mice. Fourteen-day-old mice received either VPA or control solution, and the medial preoptic area (mPOA) of the hypothalamus was studied after 4, 7, 10, 14, or 18 days by immunocytochemically processing for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Significant differences were found for the proportion of bipolar to unipolar neurons in the mPOA. VPA may slow pubertal maturation by altering neurochemical systems that normally play an important role in timing maturation of the GnRH pulse generator.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MCP-Hahnemann Medical School, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Badura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D014635:Valproic Acid