MacKenzie R Peltier, Terril L Verplaetse, Margaret Altemus, Yasmin Zakiniaeiz, Elizabeth A Ralevski, Yann S Mineur, Ralitza Gueorguieva, Marina R Picciotto, Kelly P Cosgrove, Ismene Petrakis, Sherry A McKee
Rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) are increasing in men and women and there are high rates of concurrent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and AUD. AUD and PTSD synergistically increase symptomatology and negatively affect treatment outcomes; however, there are very limited pharmacological treatments for PTSD/AUD. Neurosteroids have been implicated in the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of both PTSD and AUD and may be a target for treatment development. This review details the past ten years of research on pregnenolone, progesterone, allopregnanolone, pregnanolone, estradiol, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone/dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA/DHEA-S) in the context of PTSD and AUD, including examination of trauma/alcohol-related variables, such as stress-reactivity...
January 4, 2024: Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology