Psychiatric side effects of acute high-dose corticosteroid therapy in neurological conditions

It has been implied that high-dose corticosteroids (CSs) commonly cause psychiatric side effects. Here, we examined the rate and risk factors of psychiatric side effects during high-dose CS treatment in patients with neurological disorders. Patients treated with high-dose intravenous CSs for neurological disorders were evaluated for depression, mania, and psychosis using the Beck Depression Inventory, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Young Mania Rating Scale, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale before CS treatment, immediately after, and 1 month following treatment. Forty-nine consecutive patients were monitored. There was a reduction in the Beck Depression Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale scores as well as in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores throughout the study period and a transitory increase in the Young Mania Rating Scale score immediately after CS administration. Thus, a tendency to develop transient mild euphoria during high-dose CS treatment exists, but is reversible at 1 month, whereas a reduction in depressive symptoms tended to persist. Overall, our data indicate that high-dose CS treatment for neurological diseases is relatively safe with respect to psychiatric complications.