Neuroactive steroid modulation of cognitive function in common psychiatric and neurologic disorders

What is it about?

This state of the art review looks at the role neuroactive steroids play in learning and memory deficits associated with neuropsychiatric and neurologic disorders. This review is written by an interdisciplinary team of scientists from the Boston University School of Medicine with expertise in the pharmacology of neuroactive steroids, behavioral neuroscience and toxicology. This unique work provides a translational roadmap for investigators from academia and industry interested in using natural and synthetic neuroactive steroid compounds as therapeutics for learning and memory deficits associated with common neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders.

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Why is it important?

Neuroactive steroids are Nature's endogenous allosteric neuromodulators of neurotransmission. These naturally occurring compounds influence all aspects of behavior and cognition from mood and affect to learning and memory function. Not too surprisingly, changes in brain levels of these endogenous neuromodulators occur throughout life. In addition, changes in circulating levels of neuroactive steroids have been implicated in neurologic and neuropsychiatric disease. This review is the first in the field to provide a easy to follow translational framework for pre-clinical and clinical investigators interested in the development of natural and synthetic neuroactive steroids as therapeutics for learning and memory deficits associated with common neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders.

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