Steroid Effects on Central Neurons and Implications for Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA Sulfate: Roles in Brain Function and Disease

“…DHEA has been found to exert both agonistic and antagonistic effects on the androgen receptor, and it acts as an agonist at both the estrogen receptor-α and estrogen receptor-β sites, with a binding preference for estrogen receptor-β [40,41]. In the brain, DHEA is thought to affect neuronal excitability by modulating the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) [42][43][44] and sigma receptors [45], and as a positive allosteric modulator of the Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A) receptor [46][47][48][49]. In addition to this, DHEA has been shown to be a selective antagonist of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) [50].…”

“…Receptor interactions: Agonistic and antagonistic effects on AR, agonist at ERα and ERβ [40,41] Modulates the NMDA receptor [42][43][44] Positive allosteric modulator of the GABA-A receptor [46][47][48][49] Nonselective sigma-1 receptor antagonist [81] Selective antagonist of the GR [50] Development & regeneration:…”

Synthesis and evaluation of [11C]RU40555, a selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist

“…Abnormality in this negative feedback control system contributes to several kinds of psychiatric conditions, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 4,5 Imaging of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the central nervous system is useful in pathological and physiological studies in these psychiatric conditions. In order to perform GR imaging, several PET tracers have been developed.…”

O papel dos glicocorticóides na expressão dos sintomas de humor: uma revisão

“…The DST methodology has been criticized for not taking into account the regulator role of CRH, and those changes resulted in a combined test of dexamethasone with CRH (DEX/CRH), 6 which according to Holsboer et al 26 is the best instrument available for the identification of abnormalities in the HPA axis in psychiatric patients. The cortisol response to the combined test can be a medium term prognosis after a depressive event: non suppression after the combined test reflects a higher risk of relapse for patients in a period of six months, as compared to those with a low response.…”

“…27,28 Besides, those tests normalize after mood symptoms remission, suggesting that the normal functions of GR are related to the mechanism of action of drugs used in mood disorders treatment. 10,26 According to Wolkowitz & Reus, 9 It is plausible that multiple hormonal aberrations contribute to the final clinical presentation in major depression. 9 Cassidy et al 29 pointed out that Dexamethasone levels were lower and cortisol levels higher in those patients diagnosed mixed bipolar disorder , as compared to those with manic bipolar disorder.…”