The role of ovarian hormone-derived neurosteroids on the regulation of GABAA receptors in affective disorders

Rationale Neuroactive derivatives of steroid hormones, neurosteroids, can act on GABAA receptors (GABAARs) to potentiate the effects of GABA on these receptors. Neurosteroids become elevated to physiologically relevant levels under conditions characterized by increased steroid hormones. There is considerable evidence for plasticity of GABAARs associated with altered levels of neurosteroids which may counteract the fluctuations in the levels of these allosteric modulators.