POSTNATAL-DEVELOPMENT OF NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE DIAPHORASE (NADPH-D) POSITIVE NEURONS IN RAT PREFRONTAL CORTEX

First nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) -positive perikarya in rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) are present at birt h. On postnatal day (P) 1, there is an increase of NADPH-dipositive ne urons in all developing layers of PFC. From P1 to P7, a further increa se in the overall number of positive neurons is observed. First lamina r and areal shifts are noted on P21, while morphological maturation of NADPH-d-positive neurons is finished around P30. In conclusion, the p ostnatal development of NADPH-d neurons in PFC is in concordance with other developmental events in rat cerebral cortex.