Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelin Str, 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
Mol Brain. 2010 Jan 11;3:2. doi: 10.1186/1756-6606-3-2.
Studies into the mechanisms of corticosteroid action continue to be a rich bed of research, spanning the fields of neuroscience and endocrinology through to immunology and metabolism. However, the vast literature generated, in particular with respect to corticosteroid actions in the brain, tends to be contentious, with some aspects suffering from loose definitions, poorly-defined models, and appropriate dissection kits. Here, rather than presenting a comprehensive review of the subject, we aim to present a critique of key concepts that have emerged over the years so as to stimulate new thoughts in the field by identifying apparent shortcomings. This article will draw on experience and knowledge derived from studies of the neural actions of other steroid hormones, in particular estrogens, not only because there are many parallels but also because 'learning from differences' can be a fruitful approach. The core purpose of this review is to consider the mechanisms through which corticosteroids might act rapidly to alter neural signaling.
皮质甾类作用机制的研究持续不断，成为一个丰富的研究领域，涵盖了神经科学、内分泌学、免疫学和新陈代谢学等领域。然而，大量相关文献的产生，特别是关于皮质甾类在大脑中的作用，往往存在争议，其中一些方面存在定义不明确、模型定义不明确以及适当的解剖工具不足等问题。在这里，我们的目的不是对该主题进行全面综述，而是对多年来出现的关键概念进行批判，以便通过识别明显的缺陷来激发该领域的新思维。本文将借鉴从其他类固醇激素（特别是雌激素）的神经作用研究中获得的经验和知识，这不仅是因为有许多相似之处，而且因为“从差异中学习”可能是一种富有成效的方法。本篇综述的核心目的是考虑皮质甾类可能迅速作用于改变神经信号的机制。
