Download or read book Neurosteroids and the Nervous System written by Steven R. King and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-11-09 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ​While steroids from the periphery have profound effects on the nervous system, the nervous system also produces its own steroids de novo (“neurosteroids”). The physiological importance of neurosteroids is beginning to be understood. These steroids potentially have roles in sedative/hypnotic behavior, anxiety, learning, and memory. At the cellular level, neurosteroids affect neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity and cell proliferation and survival. Early findings hold promise for future strategies to treat specific psychologicalconditions and neurological diseases. This Brief will focus on the current state of understanding of brainderived neurosteroids.