Abnormal instability, excess density, and aberrant morphology of dendritic spines in prenatally testosterone-exposed mice

摘要: Fetal brain development is programmed by the maternal intrauterine environment, and disturbance of in utero environment leads to persisting deficits functions offspring. Testosterone an environmental factor, plays significant roles fetal development. From human animal model studies, it has been suggested that increased testosterone concentration triggers subsequent autistic-like behavior offspring; however, effects excess on synaptic offspring remain unknown. In present study, we employed prenatally testosterone-exposed mice, using vivo two-photon imaging, analyzed dynamics, density, morphology dendritic spine, excitatory postsynaptic structure. We found from testosterone-treated dams showed abnormal instability into young adulthood, whereas spines control mice became stabilized with normal maturation. density was excessively increased, their abnormal. These results suggest may have development, furthermore observed pathological features be cause pathogenesis mice.