Therapeutic potential of steroids for CNS disorders

The importance of steroids for modulation of the CNS is now better understood but it is still in its infancy compared with the knowledge that has been accumulated on their endocrine effects. The structural diversity of steroids that exert CNS activity is broad and they modulate their effects, not only via classical steroid receptors (oestrogen, androgen, progestin, glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid) but also via ion channels, particularly GABAA receptors and glutamate (NMDA) receptors. This review illustrates the therapeutic potential of steroids for treatment of CNS disorders by covering publications and patent literature since 1995.