Vocal and social impairments in songbirds embryonically exposed to an autism risk factor

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurodevelopmental conditions marked by social communication deficits. Although rodent and chicken models have yielded insights into social and sensory abnormalities, their innate vocalizations preclude the study of vocal learning impairments common to autism. Leveraging the vocal learning abilities of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), we investigated how embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA) affects vocal development and social behavior. VPA exposure disrupted song acquisition, resulting in impaired tutor imitation, delayed song consolidation, and increased motif variability. These abnormalities co-occurred with social deficits, including reduced modulation of female-directed song and diminished social engagement, and frequency-specific hyperacusis, a sensory phenotype frequently reported in autism. Together, these findings demonstrate that embryonic VPA exposure disrupts the development of learned vocalizations and social behavior in a vocal learner. By linking early environmental insult to persistent alterations in communication-related behaviors, this work establishes a foundation for future mechanistic and therapeutic studies.