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-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.
Laufer
Neil
N
Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Maayan
Rachel
R
Hermesh
Haggai
H
Marom
Sofi
S
Gilad
Royi
R
Strous
Rael
R
Weizman
Abraham
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000494:Allosteric Regulation; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000097:blood*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D011284:Pregnenolone; D006854:Hydrocortisone