Effects of different corticosteroids on the brain weight and hippocampal neuronal loss in rats

Equivalent antiinflammatory doses of steroids including betamethasone, methylprednisolone and dexamethasone were administered in the neonatal period in a rat model. In situ cell death in hippocampus quantified by Terminal Deoxynucleated Transferase Nick-End Labeling and on ratio of brain to body weight was investigated. Apoptotic index (AI) was significantly higher in methylprednisolone, and high dose dexamethasone groups than the other groups. AI in "Cornu ammonis 1" (CA1) and "Cornu ammonis 3" (CA3) subregions of high dose dexamethasone group was the highest among the five groups tested. AI in CA3 subregions of methylprednisolone group was also significantly higher than the control, betamethasone and low dose dexamethasone groups. AI in CA1 subregion were not different among control, betamethasone, methylprednisolone and low dose dexamethasone groups. In addition, high dose dexamethasone resulted significant decrease in the ratio of brain weight to body weight in comparison to all other groups tested. In conclusion, betamethasone and low dose dexamethasone may be better alternative treatments among agents tested in this study for chronic lung disease (CLD).