TLDR Late pregnancy helps repair brain damage in rats due to the GABAergic system.
The study found that late pregnancy enhanced remyelination in rats with demyelination in the corpus callosum compared to virgin and postpartum rats. This promyelinating effect was linked to the GABAergic system, as blocking the GABA A receptor or inhibiting 5α-reductase, which is crucial for producing the GABA A receptor activator allopregnanolone, negated the effect. This suggested that the protective effect of late pregnancy on remyelination involved the GABAergic system.
123 citations
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May 2009 in “Journal of Neuroscience” In late pregnancy, allopregnanolone reduces stress responses in rats by affecting brain chemicals.
40 citations
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December 2012 in “Epilepsia” Neurosteroids change how GABA_A receptors work in the brain, which could be important for treating temporal lobe epilepsy.
2 citations
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December 2019 in “Neurobiology of Stress” Changing allopregnanolone levels in baby rats affects their adult behavior and alcohol use.
14 citations
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September 2017 in “Hormones and behavior” δ-GABAA receptors affect alcohol consumption based on the estrous cycle and influence movement regardless of the cycle.
31 citations
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November 2014 in “Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science” A natural steroid in the body may protect against eye damage in glaucoma.
35 citations
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April 2013 in “Sexual medicine reviews” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors slightly increase the risk of sexual and mood side effects, and breast growth in men.
