Altered kinship vocal dynamics in marmosets with valproic acid-induced model of autism

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterised by social communication impairments and repetitive behaviours. Language deficits, including echolalia and restricted vocabulary, heighten caregiver stress and negatively affect the familys quality of life. Although animal models have advanced the understanding of individual ASD traits, their influence on kinship dynamics remains underexplored. To address this issue, we developed a clinically relevant ASD model in common marmosets by prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) to produce ASD-like pups alongside their typically developing parents. We analysed 28,418 kinship calls from nine VPA-exposed and seven unexposed (UE) pups, along with their parents. Kinship vocalisations in VPA families exhibited significant alterations, including increased isolation calls, decreased affiliative calls, disruption of structured repetition patterns, and reduced developmental maturations. These deviations intensified after weaning, suggesting a link between social communicative stressors and altered family dynamics. Parental weight loss was correlated with kinship vocal deviations, potentially reflecting increased caregiver stress. This observation aligns with clinical reports of heightened stress in families raising children with ASD. VPA pups also displayed premature locomotion independence, indicating broader social and communication disruptions. These findings suggest that VPA marmosets are valuable models for investigating ASD-like traits in individuals and kinship-level dynamics. Kinship vocalisations provide critical insights into the interplay between communication impairments and caregiver stress, offering a promising avenue for developing non-invasive biomarkers for ASD-related challenges.