Stárka Luboslav, Dušková Michaela, Hill Martin
Institute of Endocrinology, Národní 8, 11694 Prague, Czech Republic.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2015 Jan;145:254-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2014.03.008. Epub 2014 Apr 2.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate bound form (DHEAS) are important steroids of mainly adrenal origin. They are produced also in gonads and in the brain. Dehydroepiandrosterone easily crosses the brain-blood barrier and in part is also produced locally in the brain tissue. In the brain, DHEA exerts its effects after conversion to either testosterone and dihydrotestosterone or estradiol via androgen and estrogen receptors present in the most parts of the human brain, through mainly non-genomic mechanisms, or eventually indirectly via the effects of its metabolites formed locally in the brain. As a neuroactive hormone, DHEA in co-operation with other hormones and transmitters significantly affects some aspects of human mood, and modifies some features of human emotions and behavior. It has been reported that its administration can increase feelings of well-being and is useful in ameliorating atypical depressive disorders. It has neuroprotective and antiglucocorticoid activity and modifies immune reactions, and some authors have also reported its role in degenerative brain diseases. Here we present a short overview of the possible actions of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate in the brain, calling attention to various mechanisms of their action as neurosteroids and to prospects for the knowledge of their role in brain disorders.
脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）及其硫酸结合形式（DHEAS）是主要源自肾上腺的重要甾体激素。它们也在性腺和大脑中产生。脱氢表雄酮很容易穿过血脑屏障，部分也在脑组织中局部产生。在大脑中，DHEA通过人类大脑大部分区域存在的雄激素和雌激素受体，主要通过非基因组机制转化为睾酮、双氢睾酮或雌二醇后发挥作用，或者最终通过其在大脑中局部形成的代谢产物的作用间接发挥作用。作为一种神经活性激素，DHEA与其他激素和递质协同作用，显著影响人类情绪的某些方面，并改变人类情绪和行为的一些特征。据报道，服用DHEA可以增强幸福感，对改善非典型抑郁症有用。它具有神经保护和抗糖皮质激素活性，并能改变免疫反应，一些作者还报道了它在退行性脑病中的作用。在此，我们简要概述脱氢表雄酮及其硫酸盐在大脑中的可能作用，提请注意它们作为神经甾体的各种作用机制以及了解它们在脑部疾病中作用的前景。
