Dexamethasone decreases tau phosphorylation. A) Representative western blots for total tau (Tau 1), phosphorylated tau at ser202/thr205 (AT8), at thr181 (AT270), at thr231/ser235 (AT180), and at ser 396 in brain homogenates from Tg2576 mice treated with either PBS (control) (n = 5 open bars) or 5 mg/kg dexamethasone (Dex) (n = 6, closed bars). B) Ratios for the densitometric analyses of the immunoreactivities to the antibodies shown in B (control: open bars; dexamethasone: closed bars) (*p < 0.001 for AT180, and p < 0.02 for ser396). C) Immunohistochemistry of brain sections from Tg2576 mice treated with either PBS (control) or dexamethasone (Dex) reveals similar tau 1 but diminished AT180 and ser396 immunostaining in Dex-treated mice.