Review Article
You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article
Central nervous system effects of natural and synthetic glucocorticoids
Article first published online: 23 SEP 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2009.02005.x
© 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology
Additional Information
How to Cite
Fietta, P., Fietta, P. and Delsante, G. (2009), Central nervous system effects of natural and synthetic glucocorticoids. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 63: 613–622. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2009.02005.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 23 SEP 2009
- Article first published online: 23 SEP 2009
- Received 31 August 2008; revised 3 May 2009; accepted 19 May 2009.
REFERENCES
- 1, . Glucocorticoids and brain functions. Riv. Biol. 2007; 100: 403–418.
- 2, , . How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Integrating permissive, suppressive, stimulatory and preparative actions. Endocr. Rev. 2000; 21: 55–89.
- 3, , , , , . Use of oral corticosteroids in the United Kingdom. Q. J. Med. 2000; 93: 105–111.
- 4, , . The epidemiology of glucocorticoid-associated adverse events. Curr. Opin. Rheumatol. 2008; 20: 131–137.
- 5. Steroid psychosis: A review. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 2003; 25: 27–33.
- 6, . Control of neuronal excitability by corticosteroid hormones. Trends Neurosci. 1992; 15: 25–30.
- 7, , . Neuropharmacology of glucocorticoids: Focus on emotion, cognition and cocaine. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2008; 585: 473–482.
- 8, , . Mechanism underlying the role of glucocorticoids in the early life programming of adult disease. Clin. Sci. (Lond) 2007; 113: 219–232.
- 9. Glucocorticoids, developmental ‘programming’ and the risk of affective dysfunction. Prog. Brain Res. 2008; 167: 17–34.
- 10, . Glucocorticoid programming. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 2004; 1032: 63–84.
- 11, , , . Glucocorticoids and insulin both modulate caloric intake through actions on the brain. J. Physiol. 2007; 583: 431–436.
- 12, , . Sleep impairments in healthy seniors: Roles of stress, cortisol, and interleukin-1 beta. Chronobiol. Int. 2000; 17: 391–404.
- 13, . An anti-immobility effect of exogenous corticosterone in mice. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2008; 580: 135–142.
- 14, , . Chronic low dose corticosterone exposure decreased hippocampal cell proliferation, volume and induced anxiety and depression like behaviours in mice. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2008; 583: 115–127.
- 15, . Mood changes in response to psychosocial stress in healthy young women: Effects of pretreatment with cortisol. Behav. Neurosci. 2007; 12: 11–20.
- 16. Psychiatric aspects of Cushing's syndrome. Q. J. Med. 1996; 89: 543–551.
- 17, , et al. Psychopathology in patients with endogenous Cushing's syndrome: ‘Atypical’ or melancholic features. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf) 1995; 43: 433–442.
- 18. Diagnostic categorization of psychiatric disturbance in Cushing's syndrome. Am. J. Psychiatry 1985; 142: 911–916.
- 19, , , , Phenomenology and family history of affective disorder in Cushing's disease. Am. J. Psychiatry 1987; 144: 951–953.
- 20, , . A prospective study of psychiatric and psychological aspects of Cushing's syndrome. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf) 1996; 45: 715–720.Direct Link:
- 21, , et al. The modulatory effects of corticosteroids on cognition: Studies in young human populations. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2002; 27: 401–416.
- 22, , , . Activation of the prefrontal cortex during memory learning: Near-infrared spectroscopy study. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2007; 61: 31–38.
- 23, . Mineralcorticoid receptor overexpression differentially modulates specific phases of spatial and nonspatial memory. J. Neurosci. 2007; 27: 8046–8052.
- 24, , , , , . Effect of high-dose cortisol on memory function. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 2006; 1071: 434–437.
- 25, , et al. Cortisol differentially affects memory in young and elderly men. Behav. Neurosci. 2001; 115: 1002–1011.
- 26, , et al. Dose- and time-dependent cortisol-induced decrease in memory performance in humans. Abstr. Soc. Neurosci. 1997; 23: 2121.
- 27, , , , . Elevated cortisol levels in Cushing's disease are associated with cognitive decrements. Psychosom. Med. 2001; 63: 985–993.
- 28, , et al. Memory impairment in Cushing's disease. Acta Neurol. Scand. 1993; 87: 52–55.
- 29, , , , , . Decrease in cortisol reverses human hippocampal atrophy following treatment of Cushing's disease. Biol. Psychiatry 1999; 46: 1595–1602.
- 30. Prospective controlled studies of the behavioral and biological effects of exogenous corticosteroids. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1994; 19: 233–255.
- 31, , , , . Effects of acute prednisone administration on memory, attention and emotion in healthy human adults. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1999; 24: 461–483.
- 32, , et al. Population-based assessment of adverse events associated with long-term glucocorticoid use. Arthritis Rheum. 2006; 55: 420–426.
- 33, , et al. Effects of glucocorticoids on weight change during the treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis. Arthritis Rheum. 2008; 59: 746–753.
- 34, , et al. Safety of low dose glucocorticoid treatment in rheumatoid arthritis: Published evidence and prospective trial data. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2006; 65: 285–293.
- 35, , , , . Adverse effects of systemic glucocorticosteroid therapy in infants with hemangiomas. Arch. Dermatol. 2004; 140: 963–969.
- 36, , . Behavioral effects of corticosteroids in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome. Pediatrics 1999; 104: e51.
- 37, , . Side effects of corticosteroid therapy. Psychiatric aspects. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 1981; 38: 471–477.
- 38, . Steroid-induced psychiatric syndromes. A report of 14 cases and a review of the literature. J. Affect. Disord. 1983; 5: 319–332.
- 39
- 40, , et al. Corticosteroid-induced psychotic and mood disorders: Diagnosis defined by DSM-IV and clinical pictures. Psychosomatics 2001; 42: 461–466.
- 41, . Mood and cognitive changes during systemic corticosteroid therapy. Prim. Care Companion J. Clin. Psychiatry 2001; 3: 17–21.
- 42, . Psychiatric adverse effects of corticosteroids. Mayo Clin. Proc. 2006; 81: 1361–1367.
- 43, , . Suicidality and corticosteroid-induced psychosis. Biol. Psychiatry 1989; 26: 209–210.
- 44Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Programme. Acute adverse reactions to prednisone in relation to dosage. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 1972; 13: 694–698.
- 45, , , , , . Assessment of mood states in patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy and in controls with patient-rated and clinician-rated scales. Ann. Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2004; 92: 500–505.
- 46, , . Corticosteroids in cancer: Neuropsychiatric complications. Cancer Invest. 1989; 7: 479–491.
- 47, , , . Presentation of steroid psychoses. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 1979; 167: 229–236.
- 48. Mental status changes in children receiving glucocorticoids. Review of the literature. Clin. Pediatr. (Phila) 1990; 29: 383–388.
- 49, . Intravenous corticosteroids: Adverse reactions are more variable than expected in children. J. Rheumatol. 1998; 25: 1995–2002.
- 50, , . Adverse psychological effects of corticosteroids in children and adolescents. Arch. Dis. Child. 2005; 90: 500–506.
- 51, . Exogenous corticosteroid effects on mood and cognition: Case presentations. Int. J. Psychosom. 1990; 37: 57–61.
- 52. Rapid-onset steroid psychosis with very low dosage of prednisolone. Lancet 1984; 1: 1119–1120.
- 53, , et al. Prednisone effects on neurochemistry and behavior. Preliminary findings. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 1990; 47: 963–968.
- 54, , . Psychopathological and neuropsychological effects of 8-days' corticosteroid treatment. A prospective study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1996; 21: 25–31.
- 55, , , . Mood changes during prednisone bursts in outpatients with asthma. J. Clin. Psychopharmacol. 2002; 22: 55–61.
- 56, . Corticosteroid-induced adverse psychiatric effects: Incidence, diagnosis and management. Drug Saf. 2000; 22: 111–122.
- 57, , , . Effect of two prednisone exposures on mood and declarative memory. Neurobiol. Learn. Mem. 2006; 86: 28–34.
- 58, , , , . Blood-brain barrier damage as a risk factor for corticosteroid-induced psychiatric disorders in systemic lupus erythematosus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2008; 33: 395–403.
- 59, , , , . Steroid induced psychosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: A possible role of serum albumin level. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2002; 61: 562–563.
- 60, , et al. Cognitive sequelae in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with dexamethasone or prednisone. J. Pediatr. Hematol. Oncol. 2000; 22: 206–213.
- 61, , , , . Effects of chronic prednisone therapy on mood and memory. J. Affect. Disord. 2007; 99: 279–283.
- 62, , , , . Recurrent cases of corticosteroid-induced mood disorder: Clinical characteristics and treatment. J. Clin. Psychiatry 2000; 61: 261–267.
- 63. ‘Steroid psychosis’: A case report. Br. J. Psychiatry 1974; 124: 545–546.
- 64, , . Steroid psychosis after an intra-articular injection. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2000; 59: 927.
- 65, , , , . Glucocorticoid-induced impairment in declarative memory performance in adult humans. J. Neurosci. 1994; 14: 2047–2053.
- 66, , , , , . The effect on memory of chronic prednisone treatment in patients with systemic disease. Neurology 1996; 47: 1396–1402.
- 67, , et al. Hippocampal volume, spectroscopy, cognition, and mood in patients receiving corticosteroid therapy. Biol. Psychiatry 2004; 55: 538–545.
- 68, , . Amygdala volume in patients receiving chronic corticosteroid therapy. Biol. Psychiatry 2008; 63: 705–709.
- 69, . Glucocorticoid effects on memory function over the human life span. Dev. Psychopathol. 2001; 13: 491–513.
- 70, , . Reversible steroid dementia in patients without steroid psychosis. Am. J. Psychiatry 1984; 141: 369–372.
- 71, . Steroid dementia: An overlooked diagnosis?. Neurology 2005; 64: 707–709.
- 72, , , , . The ‘steroid dementia syndrome’: An unrecognized complication of glucocorticoid treatment. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 2004; 1032: 191–194.
- 73, , . The ‘steroid dementia syndrome’: A possible model of human glucocorticoid neurotoxicity. Neurocase 2007; 13: 189–200.
- 74, , et al. Decreased memory performance in healthy humans induced by stress-level cortisol treatment. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 1999; 56: 527–533.
- 75, , , , , . Glucocorticoid therapy-induced memory deficits: Acute versus chronic effects. J. Neurosci. 2008; 26: 3474–3478.
- 76, , . Steroid-induced depressive psychosis responsive to electroconvulsive therapy. Convuls. Ther. 1996; 12: 104–107.
- 77, , , , . Attenuation of the effects of corticosteroids on declarative memory with lamotrigine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2008; 33: 2376–2383.
- 78, , , , . Lamotrigine as prophylaxis against steroid-induced mania. J. Clin. Psychiatry 1999; 60: 708–709.
- 79, , et al. Effect of phenytoin on mood and declarative memory during prescription corticosteroid therapy. Biol. Psychiatry 2005; 57: 543–548.
- 80, , . Randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of memantine for cognitive changes with corticosteroid therapy. Biol. Psychiatry 2008; 64: 727–729.
- 81, , , , . Impact of levetiracetam on mood and cognition during prednisone therapy. Eur. Psychiatry 2007; 22: 448–452.
- 82, , , . Effects of lithium on steroid-induced depression. Biol. Psychiatry 1997; 41: 1225–1226.
- 83, , , , , . Successful lithium carbonate treatment for steroid-induced depression following bone marrow transplantation: A case report. Jpn. J. Clin. Oncol. 2003; 33: 538–540.
- 84, , . Tryciclic exacerbation of steroid psychosis. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 1987; 166: 738–742.
- 85, . Sertraline treatment of mood disorder associated with prednisone: A case report. J. Child. Adolesc. Pharmacol. 1998; 8: 187–193.
- 86. Symptomatic depression after long-term steroid treatment: A case report. Afr. J. Med. Med. Sci. 2004; 33: 263–265.
- 87, . Treatment of psychotic depression associated with steroid therapy in Churg-Strauss syndrome. Ir. Med. J. 2002; 95: 18–19.
- 88, . Steroid-induced psychosis treated with haloperidol in a patient with active chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 1999; 17: 735.
- 89, . Olanzapine treatment of corticosteroid-induced mood disorders. Psychosomatics 2002; 43: 495–497.
- 90, , , , , . An open-label trial of olanzapine for corticosteroid-induced symptoms. J. Affect. Disord. 2004; 83: 277–281.
- 91, , . Steroid-induced psychosis treated with risperidone. Can. J. Psychiatry 2002; 47: 388–389.
- 92
- 93, . Promethazine treatment of steroid-induced psychosis in a child. Ann. Pharmacother. 2003; 37: 1036–1039.
- 94
- 95, . Risperidone in the treatment of steroid-induced psychosis. J. Child Adolesc. Psychopharmacol. 1999; 9: 315–316.
- 96, , , . Steroid-induced psychosis in an adolescent: Treatment and prophylaxis with risperidone. Turk. J. Pediatr. 2006; 48: 244–247.
- 97, , . Activation of Trk neurotrophin receptors by glucocorticoids provides a neuroprotective effect. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 2008; 105: 4862–4867.
- 98, , , , , . Rapid changes in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell function via pre- as well as postsynaptic membrane mineralcorticoid receptors. Eur. J. Neurosci. 2008; 27: 2542–2550.
- 99, , , . Action of glucocorticoids on survival of nerve cells: Promoting neurodegeneration or neuroprotection? J. Neuroendocrinol. 2001; 13: 749–760.
- 100, , et al. Cortisol reduces hippocampal glucose metabolism in normal elderly but not in Alzheimer's disease. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 1997; 82: 3251–3259.
- 101, , . Presynaptic effects of glucocorticoids on dopaminergic and cholinergic synaptosomes. Implications for rapid endocrine-neural interaction in stress. Life Sci. 1987; 40: 2401–2408.
- 102. Possible mechanisms for atrophy of the human hippocampus. Mol. Psychiatry 1997; 2: 255–262.
- 103, , . Hippocampal remodeling and damage by corticosteroids: Implications for mood disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 1999; 21: 474–484.
- 104, , et al. Glucocorticoid-induced impairment of declarative memory retrieval is associated with reduced blood flow in the medial temporal lobe. Eur. J. Neurosci. 2003; 17: 1296–1302.

1440-1819/asset/olbannerleft.gif?v=1&s=53aa57299a73f1cea88ed36d923a25e042c23538)
