Neuroactive steroids: New biomarkers of cognitive aging
The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2003-06-01; 85(2-5): 329-335
DOI: 10.1016/S0960-0760(03)00227-9
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Vallée M(1), Purdy RH, Mayo W, Koob GF, Le Moal M.
Author information:
(1)INSERM U588, Institut F. Magendie, 1 rue Camille Saint-Saëns, 33077 Bordeaux
Cedex, France.
Intensive studies in animals established that neuroactive steroids display
neuronal actions and influence behavioral functions. We describe here
investigations on the role of neuroactive steroids in learning and memory
processes during aging and suggest their role as biomarkers of cognitive aging.
Our work demonstrated the role of the steroid pregnenolone (PREG) sulfate as a
factor underlying an individual’s age-related cognitive decline in animals. As
new perspectives of research we argue that knowing whether neuroactive steroids
exist as endogenous neuromodulators and modulate physiologically behavioral
functions is essential. To this end, a new approach using the sensitive,
specific, and accurate quantitative determination of neuroactive steroids by
mass spectrometry seems to have potential for examining the role of each steroid
in discrete brain areas in learning and memory alterations, as observed during
aging.
DOI: 10.1016/s0960-0760(03)00227-9
PMID: 12943719 [Indexed for MEDLINE]