Auditory Entrainment Reverses Working Memory Deficits in a Rodent Model of Autism

Individuals on the autism spectrum often show atypical responses to sensory input and difficulties with behavioral regulation, reflecting neural activity changes in core sensory-motor circuits. Although higher cognitive impairments can be present in autism, they remain understudied in rodent models compared to sensory-motor deficits. Sensory processing differences suggest that patterned sensory stimulation could help modulate altered neural activity and thereby reduce symptoms. In this study, we examined higher cognitive function in the valproic acid (VPA) rodent model of autism and tested whether auditory entrainment could improve observed deficits. Pregnant dams received VPA on embryonic day 12.5, and working memory (WM) was evaluated in their offspring using a standard delayed non-match to place (DNMP) task. VPA-exposed animals showed impaired performance and disrupted learning dynamics, indicating WM deficits. Auditory stimulation at 40Hz increased oscillatory power at several relevant bands, namely gamma, theta and beta, across brain regions relevant for WM. Notably such manipulation eliminated working memory impairments both during stimulation and for six daily recorded sessions thereafter. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of sensory entrainment to restore cognitive function in autism.