Effect of Neurosteroid Dehydroepiandrosterone on the Higher Nervous Activity of Old Non-Human Primates

The study from 2014 examined the impact of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on the higher nervous activity and behavior of five old male rhesus macaques, aged 24-30 years. The macaques were given DHEA intramuscularly at a dose of 1 mg/kg every two days for three months. The results showed that DHEA improved higher nervous activity, increased motor activity and alimentary motivation, and balanced excitatory and inhibitory processes in the brain. Notably, DHEA also led to the restoration of lost hair cover in the monkeys, an effect that lasted for a year post-treatment. The study concluded that DHEA could be effective for medical correction of higher nervous activity in old monkeys and has multiple beneficial effects, including neuron survival and reduced cell apoptosis.