Involvement of GABAA receptor modulating neuroactive steroids in patients with social phobia

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate ester (DHEA-S), neurosteroids synthesized in the brain, are weak gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor allosteric antagonists that may be involved in anxiety disorders. In the present study we measured the circulatory [corrected] levels of DHEA, DHEA...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychiatry research 2005-11, Vol.137 (1-2), p.131-136
Main Authors: LAUFER, Neil, MAAYAN, Rachel, HERMESH, Haggai, MAROM, Sofi, GILAD, Royi, STROUS, Rael, WEIZMAN, Abraham
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Allosteric Regulation
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Platelets - metabolism
Brain - physiopathology
Dehydroepiandrosterone - blood
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate - blood
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
GABA-A Receptor Antagonists
Humans
Hydrocortisone - blood
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurotransmission and behavior
Phobia
Phobic Disorders - diagnosis
Phobic Disorders - physiopathology
Phobic Disorders - psychology
Pregnenolone - blood
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Receptors, GABA-A - physiology
Reference Values
Statistics as Topic
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate ester (DHEA-S), neurosteroids synthesized in the brain, are weak gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor allosteric antagonists that may be involved in anxiety disorders. In the present study we measured the circulatory [corrected] levels of DHEA, DHEA-S, pregnenolone and cortisol in [corrected] untreated patients (n=26) diagnosed with social phobia (SP) compared with sex- and age-matched healthy controls (n=21). No significant differences in neurosteroids were observed in [corrected] untreated SP patients and [corrected] compared with healthy controls. The findings may reflect an absence of involvement of the GABA(A) modulators DHEA, DHEA-S and pregnenolone in SP.
ISSN:0165-1781
1872-7123
DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2005.07.003