The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been increasing, with recent estimates suggesting that 2.7% of children in the U.S. are diagnosed with ASD. Among environmental risk factors, prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA), an antiepileptic drug, has been shown to increase ASD risk. This review provides an integrative discussion of the association between VPA exposure and ASD, focusing on developmental neurotoxicity mechanisms and animal models. VPA's neurotoxicity affects epigenetic modifications, neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation, synaptogenesis, and neurotransmitter systems. These changes may underlie behavioral abnormalities and neurological features observed in ASD. Animal models exposed to VPA exhibit ASD-like behaviors and neurological changes, contributing to our understanding of ASD pathomechanisms. While environmental factors like VPA contribute to only a fraction of ASD cases, their study is crucial for identifying preventable risk factors. Future research should elucidate genetic-environmental interactions, advance epigenetics research, analyze time- and dose-dependent effects of environmental factors, integrate findings from animal models with human studies, apply findings to personalized medicine, and develop novel therapies. These efforts aim to enhance our understanding of ASD's complex pathomechanisms, potentially leading to effective prevention and treatment methods.

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The purpose of this study is to clarify the level of awareness of the theory of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) and the results of Japanese birth cohort studies among midwives and nurses involved in perinatal care, and to identify the educational methods preferred by them. For the introduction of results from the Japanese birth cohort studies, we have intentionally selected 38 papers from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS). The study was conducted from March to June 2023 at three perinatal medical facilities and one university that are cooperating with the JECS. The participants consisted of 39 nursing professionals who had cooperated with JECS (cooperative group), 49 nursing professionals who had never cooperated with the JECS (no-cooperative group), and 18 students in a university midwife training course. The frequency of participants who were not aware of the DOHaD theory was 56.4% in the cooperative group, 63.3% in the no-cooperative group, and 66.7% in the students. The frequency of knowing three or fewer results of JECS was 94.9% in the cooperative group, 93.8% in the no-cooperative group, and 100% in the students. There were no significant differences in the level of awareness in all the above items between the cooperative group and the no-cooperative group, as compared by logistic regression analysis. Overall, the most preferred method for increasing awareness were seminar at hospitals (84.9%).

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The 12th Annual Meeting of the Japan DOHaD Society was held at Hokkaido University Conference Hall from October 13 to 14, 2024. Under the theme DOHaD in the Context of One Health, various research presentations were made connecting the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health, with the concept of DOHaD. In the keynote lecture Society Based on the One Health Concept by Dr. Isao Kurauchi, current health challenges facing modern society, such as zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance, were discussed. The subsequent symposium featured multifaceted discussions on the effects of environmental chemicals, reconstruction of medical education, maternal weight management, and the application of DOHaD in animal husbandry. Throughout the Outstanding Presentation Award candidate sessions and general presentations, the importance of an integrated approach to DOHaD and One Health was emphasized, and discussions provided valuable insights into future research directions. Although this was my first time attending a conference, and I had concerns about presentation preparation and Q&A, I gained valuable experience by listening to presentations from world-renowned researchers and young researchers who will lead the next generation. We hope to apply this experience to our future research activities and conference presentations.

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