title: Pharmacokinetic and behavioral effects of allopregnanolone in healthy women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The behavioral effects of allopregnanolone (3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one) in women are not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Allopregnanolone, a neuroactive steroid secreted by the mammalian ovary, exerts its anesthetic, anxiolytic, and sedative/hypnotic effects through potentiation of GABAA receptors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behavioral effects of allopregnanolone in healthy women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten healthy women were given three increasing intravenous doses of allopregnanolone in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Saccadic eye movement parameters and visual analogue scales of sedation were used to evaluate the behavioral response of allopregnanolone. Repeated blood samples for analyses of allopregnanolone were drawn throughout the study day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exogenously administered allopregnanolone decreases saccadic eye movement parameters and increases subjective ratings of sedation that correlate with increased serum concentrations of this neuroactive steroid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The behavioral effects of allopregnanolone are similar to that of its 5beta-stereoisomer, pregnanolone (3alpha-hydroxy-5beta-pregnan-20-one). Apart from fatigue and mild nausea, allopregnanolone given in a cumulative dose of 0.09 mg/kg did not have any adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, and Hospital Pharmacy, University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Timby
authors.forename: Matts
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balgård
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.forename: Olav
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Spigset
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porankiewicz-Asplund
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purdy
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Torbjörn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bäckström
authors.forename: Inger Sundström
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Poromaa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C016512:IgY; D007106:Immune Sera; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011280:Pregnanolone