Common epilepsy drug disrupts early brain growth in human organoids after 30-day exposure

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A study from several German institutions reveals that the epilepsy drug valproate disrupts early brain development in human brain organoids after 30 days of exposure. These findings highlight the drug's potential risk to fetal brain development and open new paths for research to mitigate such effects during pregnancy.

It is known that the antiepileptic drug valproate increases the risk of developmental disorders in unborn children. A study conducted by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tübingen, and the University Heidelberg using lab-grown tissue models of the human brain gives new insights into the effects this drug has on early brain development. They open new avenues for research to mitigate the risk during pregnancy. The study has been published in Molecular Psychiatry.