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

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.