Disease and aging often reduce circulating levels of fundamental hormones like testosterone, progesterone and estrogen. Those steroids play an important role in reproduction and fertility as well as cognition and affect. The government has banned many over-the-counter steroids due to legitimate safety concerns. Yet, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and pregnenolone (PREG) remain readily available. Both DHEA and PREG are prohormones that increase fundamental hormones. They can have positive effects, but they can also cause negative reactions.
Schizophrenia Amelioration
The steroids DHEA and PREG pass the blood-brain barrier and affect the central nervous system. They reduce the excitability of brain cells and reduce psychological stress. Given these effects, the prohormones may play a useful role in treating a broad variety of medical conditions. A report by M. S. Ritsner and co-workers published in the October 2010 edition of "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry" evaluated the two hormones as a possible treatment for schizophrenia. The results indicated that DHEA reduced unwanted movements and PREG enhanced attention and memory. Both supplements were well tolerated and caused few side effects.
Brain Protection
The two prohormones may also have a protective effect on the brain. Such an effect, difficult to demonstrate in humans, is evident in animal studies. An investigation by S. Veiga and associates working at the Cajal Institute in Madrid, Spain tested the impact of DHEA and PREG on experimental brain damage in male rats. Their data, published in the Sept. 15, 2003 issue of "Journal of Neurobiology," indicated that the two steroids blocked drug-induced cell death. The scientists also showed that the effects resulted from DHEA and PREG increasing estrogen.
Abuse Prevention
Both DHEA and PREG interact with the brain's reward system. This system mediates the positive feelings resulting from the use of street drugs. An experiment by R. Maayan and colleagues described in the July 2006 edition of "European Neuropsychopharmacology" tested the effect of concurrent DHEA and cocaine administration in rats. Simultaneous intake of DHEA prevented the drug cravings commonly associated with cocaine abuse. Interestingly, these effects were achieved by increasing PREG. The latter results suggest that both DHEA and PREG control the body's response to street drugs. Such data may help doctors develop treatment strategies, which prevent substance abuse.
Memory Facilitation
Specific brain receptors, called sigma1 (σ1), mediate learning and memory. Scientists are gradually revealing the chemicals which affect these neural targets. Candidates include both DHEA and PREG. A study by T. Maurice and his team in Marseille, France looked at the potential role of the two hormones in preventing dementia. The researchers first created a mouse model of amnesia and then assessed the impact of DHEA and PREG. Their results, published in the December 2001 issue of "British Journal of Pharmacology," showed that the administration of either DHEA or PREG reversed the experimental amnesia. Subsequent tests revealed that while DHEA achieved its effects through the sigma1 (σ1) receptor, PREG surprisingly did not. Thus, the two steroids affected memory through different mechanisms. These results suggest that simultaneous intake of both hormones could produce additive effects on learning and memory. They also suggest that some prohormones may help treat memory disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
References
- "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry"; Pregnenolone and Dehydroepiandrosterone as an Adjunctive Treatment in Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: An 8-Week, Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled, 2-Center, Parallel-Group Trial; M. S. Ritsner et al.; October 2010
- "Journal of Neurobiology"; Neuroprotection by the Steroids Pregnenolone and Dehydroepiandrosterone is Mediated by the Enzyme Aromatase; S. Veiga et al.; Sept. 15, 2003
- "European Neuropsychopharmacology"; Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Attenuates Cocaine-Seeking Behavior in the Self-Administration Model in Rats; R. Maayan et al.; July 2006
- "British Journal of Pharmacology": Differential Involvement of the Sigma1 (σ1) Receptor in the Anti-Amnesic Effect of Neuroactive Steroids, as Demonstrated using an In Vivo Antisense Strategy in the Mouse
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