Amygdalohippocampal Area In Adult Male Rats After Progesterone Treatment

Neurons of amygdalohippocampal area (AHA) of the amygdaloid complex (AC) in adult control and progesterone (P) neonatally treated adult male rats were studied using light microscopy and morphometric analysis. Progesterone in a single dose of 1.25 mg was administered at the age of 5 days (neonatal period) and in a dose of 5 mg at 30 days of age. Two stereological parameters were estimated: the volume density (V-v) (mm(o)) AHA cell nuclei, cytoplasm, neuropil and the numerical density (N-v) (mm(-3)) of neurons. In adult, neonatally and juvenilely treated male rats (V-v) (mm(o)) AHA cell nuclei, cytoplasm and numerical density (N-v) (mm(-3)) of neurons were significantly higher (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001) while V-v of neuropil was significantly lower (p < 0.001) compared with the values of investigated parameters in the controls.