Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Neurosteroids, brain damage, and mental illness

J Herbert1

  • 1Department of Anatomy and MRC Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, UK.

Experimental Gerontology
|February 10, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Stress impacts brain structure and function via corticoids, while DHEA offers neuroprotection and may treat depression. Altered steroid levels affect brain health.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Adrenarche as a regulator of sensitivity to early adversity.

Journal of neuroendocrinology·2026
Same author

Factors associated with early relapse of infantile haemangioma in children treated for at least six months with oral propranolol: A case-control study using the 2014-2021 French Ouest DataHub.

Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie·2023
Same author

Safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic resection of uterine leiomyoma embedded at the base of a uterine septum.

Facts, views & vision in ObGyn·2021
Same author

Incidence and outcomes of infective endocarditis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation versus surgical aortic valve replacement.

Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases·2020
Same author

Gut microbiome of treatment-naïve MS patients of different ethnicities early in disease course.

Scientific reports·2019
Same author

Spleen tyrosine kinase inhibition blocks airway constriction and protects from Th2-induced airway inflammation and remodeling.

Allergy·2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Neurobiology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • The brain's steroidal environment significantly influences its structure and function.
  • Stress, particularly chronic stress, negatively affects hippocampal function and mood.
  • Corticosterone, a key glucocorticoid, can induce neuronal death.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the contrasting roles of corticoids and DHEA in brain function.
  • To explore the link between stress, steroid levels, and mood disorders like depression.
  • To assess the potential of DHEA as a therapeutic agent for depression.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on steroid effects on the brain.
  • Analysis of studies examining corticosterone's neurotoxic effects.
  • Examination of DHEA's neuroprotective actions and its association with depression.

Main Results:

  • Elevated corticoids, induced by stress, are linked to neuronal death and mood changes.
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) exhibits neuroprotective effects, counteracting corticoid and glutamate toxicity.
  • Lower DHEA levels and higher cortisol/DHEA ratios are observed in major depressive disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Altered steroid levels, due to stress or aging, impact brain structure and function.
  • DHEA demonstrates potential as an antiglucocorticoid and may play a role in depression treatment.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the links between steroid-induced brain changes and functional outcomes.

Related Experiment Videos