Therefore, this study was designed to: (1) quantify glutamatergic and GABAergic neuron populations in the hippocampus; (2) characterize inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in primary hippocampal neurons; and (3) assess gene expression of selected GABAergic markers in two autism-like animal models, namely Shank3-deficient mice and prenatally valproate (VPA)-exposed rats. This evidence concerns the gene SHANK3 and autism.