title: Circulating neuroactive C21- and C19-steroids in young men before and after ejaculation.
abstract: Twelve neuroactive and neuroprotective steroids, androgens and androgen precursors i.e. 3alpha,17beta-dihydroxy-5alpha-androstane, 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-androstan-17-one, 3alpha-hydroxy-5beta-androstan-17-one, androst-5-ene-3beta,17beta-diol, 3beta,17alpha-dihydroxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (17alpha-hydroxy-pregnenolone), 3beta-hydroxy-androst-5-en-17-one (dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA), testosterone, androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (androstenedione), 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one (allopregnanolone), 3beta-hydroxy-pregn-5-en-20-one (pregnenolone), 7alpha-hydroxy-DHEA, and 7beta-hydroxy-DHEA were measured using the GC-MS system in young men before and after ejaculation provoked by masturbation. The circulating level of 17alpha-hydroxypregnenolone increased significantly, whereas the other circulating steroids were not changed at all. This fact speaks against the hypothesis that a drop in the level of neuroactive steroids, e.g. allopregnanolone may trigger the orgasm-related increase of oxytocin, reported by other authors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic. lstarka@endo.cz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stárka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Havlíková
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kancheva
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sobotka
mesh_terms: D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000502:physiology*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009948:Orgasm / Q000502:physiology; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D006907:17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011280:Pregnanolone