The Anxiolytic-Like Effects of Estazolam on a PTSD Animal Model

    November 2018 in “ Psychiatry research ”
    Jianing Xu, Lifang Chen, Jun Shen, Zhili Liu, Jie Chen, Qingfen Lin, Weidong Mao, Zhuowei Gao, Dong Shen
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    TLDR Estazolam reduces anxiety-like behavior in PTSD by increasing allopregnanolone levels.
    The study evaluated the anti-PTSD-like effects of estazolam using a single prolonged stress animal model with male Sprague-Dawley rats. Estazolam (1 and 2 mg/kg, i.p.) administered daily from day 2 to 13 significantly blocked PTSD-like behavioral deficits without affecting locomotor activity. Additionally, estazolam increased allopregnanolone levels in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. The increase in allopregnanolone was also observed in astrocyte cells and was antagonized by trilostane and finasteride. The findings suggested that estazolam ameliorated anxiety-like behavior deficits in the PTSD model, likely through the biosynthesis of allopregnanolone.
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