Circulating levels of allopregnanolone in humans: Gender, age, and endocrine influences

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Volumn 83, Issue 6, 1998, Pages 2099-2103

  Genazzani, A R ^a   Petraglia, F ^b   Bernardi, F ^a   Casarosa, E ^c   Salvestroni, C ^a   Tonetti, A ^a   Nappi, R E ^d   Luisi, S ^a   Palumbo, M ^e   Purdy, R H ^f   Luisi, M ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PISA   (Italy)

^b UNIVERSITY OF UDINE   (Italy)

^c CNR   (Italy)

^d UNIVERSITY OF PAVIA   (Italy)

^e UNIVERSITY OF CATANIA   (Italy)

^f VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

3ALPHA HYDROXY 5ALPHA PREGNAN 20 ONE;

ADULT; AGE; AGED; ARTICLE; CORRELATION FUNCTION; FEMALE; GENDER; HORMONE BLOOD LEVEL; HUMAN; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; MALE; MOOD; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROGESTERONE METABOLISM; SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; STRESS;

EID: 15144344290     PISSN: 0021972X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1210/jcem.83.6.4905     Document Type: Article

References (23)

1. Robel P, Baulieu EE. 1994 Neurosteroids: biosynthesis and function. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 5:1-8.
2. Mellon SH, Deschepper CF. 1993 Neurosteroid biosynthesis: genes for adrenal steroidogenic enzymes are expressed in the brain. Brain Res. 629:283-292.
3. Holzbauer M, Birmingham MK, De Nicola AF, Oliver JT. 1985 In vivo secretion of 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one, a potent anesthetic steroid by the adrenal gland of the rat. J Steroid Biochem. 22:97-102.
4. Paul SM, Purdy RH. 1992 Neuroactive steroids. FASEB J. 6:2311-2322.
5. Baulieu EE, Robel P. 1990 Neurosteroids: a new brain function? J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 37:395-403.
6. Jung-Testas I, Hu ZY, Baulieu EE, Robel P. 1989 Neurosteroids: biosynthesis of pregnenolone and progesterone in primarycultures of rat glial cells. Endocrinology. 125:2083-2091.
7. Akwa Y, Morfin RF, Robel P, Baulieu EE. 1992 Neurosteroid metabolism. Biochem J. 288:959-964.
8. Corpechot C, Young J, Calvel M, et al. 1993 Neurosteroids: 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one and its precursor in the brain, plasma, and steroidogenic glands of male and female rats. Endocrinology. 133:1003-1009.
9. Mellon SH. 1994 Neurosteroids:biochemistry, modes of action, and clinical relevance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 78:1003-1008.
10. Barbaccia ML, Roscetti G, Trabucchi M, Mostallino MC, Concas A, Purdy RH, Biggio G. 1996 Time-dependent changes in rat brain neuroactive steroid concentrations and GABA-A receptor function after acute stress. Neuroendocrinology. 63:166-172.
11. Barbaccia ML, Roscetti G, Trabucchi M, et al. 1997 The effects of inhibitors of GABAergic trasmission and stress on brain and serum allopregnanolone concentrations. Br J Pharmacol. 120:1582-1588.
12. Palumbo MA, Salvestroni C, Gallo R, et al. 1995 Allopregnanolone concentration in hippocampus of prepubertal rats and female rats throughout estrous cycle. J Endocrinol Invest. 18:853-856.
13. Genazzani AR, Palumbo MA, de Micheroux AA, et al. 1995 Evidence for a role for the neurosteroid allopregnanolone in the modulation of reproductive function in female rats. Eur J Endocrinol. 133:375-380.
14. Genazzani AR, Salvestroni C, Guo A-L, et al. 1996 Neurosteroids and regulation of neuroendocrine function. In: Genazzani AR, Petraglia F, Purdy RH. eds. The brain: source and target for sex steroids hormones. New York: Parthenon; 83-91.
15. Majewska MD. 1992 Neurosteroids: endogenous bimodal modulators of the GABA-A receptor. Mechanism of action and physiological significance. Prog Neurobiol. 38:379-395.
16. McEwen BS. 1991 Non-genomic and genomic effects of steroids on neural activity. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 12:141-147.
17. Baulieu EE, Schumacher M, Koenig H, Jung-Testas I, Akwa Y. 1996 Progesterone as a neurosteroid: actions within the nervous system. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 16:143-154.
18. Wang M, Seippel L, Purdy RH, Backstrom. 1996 Relationship between symptom severity and steroid variation in women with premenstrual syndrome: study on serum pregnenolone sulfate, 5α-pregnan-3,20-dione and 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 81:1076-1082.
19. Schmidt PJ, Purdy RH, Moore PH, Paul SM, Rubinow DR. 1994 Circulating levels of anxiolytic steroids in the luteal phase in women with premenstrual syndrome and in control subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 79:1256-1260.
20. Purdy RH, Moore Jr PH, Rao N, et al. 1990 Radioimmunoassay of 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one in rat and in human plasma. Steroids. 55:290-295.
21. Bicikova M, Lapcik O, Hampl R, et al. 1995 A novel radioimmunoassay of allopregnanolone. Steroids. 60:210-213.
22. Baulieu EE. 1995 Studies on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate during aging. C R Acad Sci [D] (Paris). 318:7-11.
23. Baulieu EE. 1996 Dehydroepiandosterone: a fountain of youth? J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 81:3147-3151.