Relationships Between Cerebrospinal Fluid GABAergic Neurosteroid Levels and Symptom Severity in Men with PTSD

Many interacting neurobiological factors are involved in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Pitman et al., 2012; Rasmusson et al., 2018, 2017b), including allopregnanolone and pregnanolone, neurosteroid metabolites of progesterone that equipotently facilitate GABAergic neurotransmission at nanomolar concentrations (Fig. 1) (Pineles et al., 2018; Rasmusson et al., 2006b). In premenopausal women with PTSD, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of these stereoisomers [undifferentiated by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methodology employed; herein termed allo  + pregnan when levels of each are summed] were 40% of levels in healthy non-traumatized women, and correlated strongly and negatively with PTSD re-experiencing and negative mood symptoms (Rasmusson et al., 2006b).

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 21, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Ann M. Rasmusson, Matthew W. King, Ivan Valovski, Kristin Gregor, Erica Scioli-Salter, Suzanne L. Pineles, Mohamed Hamouda, Yael I. Nillni, George M. Anderson, Graziano Pinna Source Type: research