Revisiting the roles of progesterone and allopregnanolone in the nervous system: Resurgence of the progesterone receptors
M. Schumacher; C. Mattern; A. Ghoumari; J.P. Oudinet; P. Liere; F. Labombarda; R. Sitruk-Ware; A.F. De Nicola
Progress in Neurobiology2014
Summary (paraphrased)
This major review reconsiders progesterone and its 5-alpha-reduced metabolite allopregnanolone as central nervous system signaling molecules rather than mere reproductive hormones. It covers their synthesis in the brain, their potentiation of GABA-A receptor function, and their roles in neuroprotection, myelination, and mood regulation. A distinctive thread is the resurgence of classical progesterone receptors as active players alongside the rapid membrane/GABA-A effects, arguing for a dual mechanism of neurosteroid action. The synthesis draws on decades of neuroendocrinology to explain how disrupting this pathway could produce broad neuropsychiatric consequences.
Why it’s in the corpus
Canonical neurosteroid review (362+ citations) that details exactly the signaling pathway 5-AR inhibitors disrupt in the brain — essential background for the allopregnanolone/GABA-A pillar.
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