This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
There is evidence that in utero exposure to teratogenic substances such as thalidomide and alcohol may increase the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD)1 and that prenatal development may be a critical time. Animal model, case study, and retrospective reports have demonstrated that exposure to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in utero may also carry an increased risk for the development of ASD.2–5
Methods.
The Liverpool and Manchester Neurodevelopment group is currently undertaking a prospective study to investigate the effects of exposure to AEDs in utero. Between 2000 and 2006, 620 women were recruited from antenatal clinics in both Liverpool and Manchester. Information has been collected on 632 live births; 296 births were to women with epilepsy (including 6 twin pairs), 249 of whom were exposed to AEDs at the beginning of gestation. Within the exposed group, 64 children were exposed to sodium valproate (VPA), 44 to lamotrigine (LTG), 76 to carbamazepine (CBZ), 14 to other monotherapy treatments, and 51 to polytherapy treatments. The remaining 47 births were to women with epilepsy who were not on medication. In addition, information has been collected on 336 live births (including two twin pairs) born to women without epilepsy who were not …
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence
- AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS FOLLOWING IN UTERO EXPOSURE TO ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS
REQUIREMENTS
If you are uploading a letter concerning an article:
You must have updated your disclosures within six months: http://submit.neurology.org
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.