A study of a dendritic marker, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), in rats neonatally treated neurosteroids, pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Neurosci Lett. 2005 Oct 7;386(3):145-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2005.06.004.

Abstract

Neurosteroids administered during the neonatal period affect the development of several brain systems. We examined the effects of neonatal treatment with pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on a marker of neuronal dendrites, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), in rat brain. Neonatal treatment with pregnenolone and DHEA increased the expression of MAP-2 in the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens but not in the prefrontal cortex, striatum or amygdala in adulthood.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / growth & development*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone / pharmacology*
  • Dendrites / drug effects
  • Dendrites / metabolism*
  • Dendrites / ultrastructure
  • Female
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / growth & development
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / drug effects
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects
  • Neural Pathways / growth & development*
  • Neural Pathways / metabolism
  • Nucleus Accumbens / drug effects
  • Nucleus Accumbens / growth & development
  • Nucleus Accumbens / metabolism
  • Pregnenolone / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Up-Regulation / physiology

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • MAP2 protein, rat
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone
  • Pregnenolone