Fig 2: Time-course of corticostriatal network formation. (A) Time recording of neurite outgrowth in the synaptic chamber using lentiviral expression of GFP and mCherry in cortical and striatal neurons, respectively. Images show the growth of cortical axons and striatal dendrites in the synaptic chamber from 3 to 10 days in vitro (DIV). Scale bars, 10 μm. (B,C) Time recording of the formation of corticostriatal connections in the synaptic chamber using selective markers for the presynaptic (synaptophysin, SYP) and postsynaptic (PSD95) compartments. (B) Images show SYP/PSD95 colocalization at DIV 7 and DIV 21. Insets show a 10x magnification of boxes in the left panel. Scale bars, 10 μm (insets, 2 μm). (C) Quantification of the number of SYP/PSD95 adjacent spots per 100 μm branches shows the progressive formation of synaptic contacts until DIV 14 (F4,112 = 58.3, p < 0.0001; n = 23) and stabilization afterwards (DIV 14 vs DIV 21, n.s). The bar graph recapitulates data obtained at early (DIV 4) and late (DIV 14) stages of neuronal culture. ***p < 0.0001.

Fig 3: Immunohistochemical staining shows the effects of castration and DHT intervention on the conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's dementia in SAMP8 mice. Immunohistochemical staining detected (A-C) SYN, (D-F) PSD95, (G-I) Drebrin and (J-K) CREB protein expression in the (A, D, G and J) castration, (B, E, H and K) DHT and (C, F, I and L) P8 groups. A statistical graph showing the difference of protein expression in the (M) four groups. The results are presented as the mean ± standard deviation (n=5). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with LSD post-hoc test. **P<0.01. DHT, dihydrotestosterone; MCI, mild cognitive impairment; SAMP8, senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8; SYN, synaptophysin; PSD95, postsynaptic density protein 95; CREB, cAMP-response element binding protein; Drebrin, developmentally regulated brain protein.

Fig 4: Western blotting showing the effects of castration and DHT intervention on the conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's dementia in SAMP8 mice. Western blot detected SYN, PSD95, Drebrin and CREB protein expression in the (A) castration, DHT and P8 groups. A statistical graph showing the difference of protein expression in the (B) four groups. The results are presented as the mean ± standard deviation (n=5). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with LSD post-hoc test. **P<0.01. DHT, dihydrotestosterone; SAMP8, senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8; SYN, synaptophysin; PSD95, postsynaptic density protein 95; CREB, cAMP-response element binding protein; Drebrin, developmentally regulated brain protein.

Fig 5: Pathological manifestation of the tumor specimen from the patient. (A) H&E staining of the tumor tissue. (B) Immunohistochemistry of the tumor tissue showed Syn(+) cells in the tumor specimen. Magnification, x500. Syn, Synaptophysin.