Structural Changes in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Anterior Cingulate Cortex of Dehydroepiandrosterone-Induced Wistar Rat Model of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder in women that is associated with an increased risk of infertility. Evaluating neurobehavioural and neurochemical changes, and the associated changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (aCC) of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)-induced PCOS model in rats. Methods: Twelve female Juvenile Wistar rats (30-50g) of about 22 to 44 days old were divided into two groups. Control received sesame oil while the PCOS group received sesame oil+DHEA. All treatment was through daily subcutaneous injection for 21 days. Results: Subcutaneous DHEA-induced PCOS significantly depleted line crossing and rearing frequency in the open field, likewise the % of the time in white box, line crossing, rearing and peeping frequency in the black & white box, and % alternation in the Y-maze. PCOS significantly caused increased immobility time, freezing period and % time in the dark area in the forced swim, open field and black & white box respectively. The level of luteinizing hormone, folliclestimulating hormone, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) significantly increased, while norepinephrine significantly depleted, with an obvious decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor level, in the PCOS modelled rats. PCOS rat exhibited cystic follicles in the ovaries, and necrotic or degenerative like features in the hippocampal pyramidal cells. Conclusion: DHEA-induced PCOS results in anxiety and depressive-like behaviour with structural alteration in rats, possibly through elevation of MDA, ROS, and IL-6 levels, which also attributes to impaired emotional and executive functions in the mPFC and aCC.