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Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
Published on: April 9, 2019
Involvement of Neuroactive Steroids in Pain, Depression and Anxiety
Abstract:
Comorbidity between major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety (generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder) and pain is a major complicating factor in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Although numerous neurotransmitters and/or neuromodulators may be involved, abnormalities in the GABAergic and glutamatergic systems seem to be a common factor in all these disorders. Neuroactive steroids (NASs) have been the object of considerable interest in this area in recent years since they appear to act predominantly on GABA-A and glutamate NMDA receptors. An overview of the possible involvement of NASs in MDD, anxiety and pain is provided in this chapter.
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