Sex and COVID-19: a protective role for reproductive steroids
Evidence shows coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced symptom severity and mortality is more frequent in men than in women, suggesting sex steroids may play a protective role.
allopregnenolone
Medical Studies on Pregnenolone
Neurosteroids and focal epileptic disorders
Neurosteroids are a family of compounds that are synthesized in principal excitatory neurons and glial cells, and derive from the transformation of cholesterol into pregnenolone. The most studied neurosteroids-allopregnanolone and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC)-are known to modulate GABAΑ receptor-mediated transmission, thus playing a role in controlling neuronal network excitability.
Augmentation of endogenous neurosteroid synthesis alters experimental status epilepticus dynamics
Neurosteroids can modulate γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor-mediated inhibitory currents. Recently, we discovered that the neurosteroids progesterone, 5α-dihydroprogesterone, allopregnanolone, and pregnanolone are reduced in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with status epilepticus (SE). However, it is undetermined whether neurosteroids influence SE.
Neurobehavioural complications of sleep deprivation: shedding light on the emerging role of neuroactive steroids
Sleep deprivation (SD) is associated with a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioural complications, including emotional lability and enhanced stress reactivity, as well as deficits in executive functions, decision making and impulse control.
Neurosteroid levels in patients with bipolar disorder and a history of cannabis use disorders
In animal models, levels of the neurosteroid pregnenolone increase after tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration and pregnenolone appears to attenuate the brain effects of THC. Given these interactions between pregnenolone and THC, we evaluated baseline neurosteroid levels in participants with a history of a cannabis use disorders (CUDs).
Allopregnanolone elevations following pregnenolone administration are associated with enhanced activation of emotion regulation neurocircuits
The neurosteroid allopregnanolone is a potent allosteric modulator of the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor with anxiolytic properties. Exogenous administration of allopregnanolone reduces anxiety, and allopregnanolone blockade impairs social and affective functioning.
Neurosteroid regulation of central nervous system development
Neurosteroids are a relatively new class of neuroactive compounds brought to prominence in the past 2 decades.