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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The Role of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in Disruption of the Physiological Function in Discrete Areas of the Central Nervous System

Giuseppe BertozziMohsin H. K RoshanRenato BernardiniGiuseppe Davide AlbanoFrancesco SessaGabriele SaniRoberto AvolaMonica SalernoFrancesca MagliettaCristoforo PomaraCristoforo PomaraGiovanni Li Volti

subject

0301 basic medicineNeuroscience (miscellaneous)SerotonergicAbuse; Amygdala; Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS); Behavioral disorders; Central nervous system; Molecular mechanisms; Cellular and Molecular NeuroscienceAmygdalaAbuseMolecular mechanism03 medical and health sciencesCellular and Molecular NeuroscienceAnabolic Agents0302 clinical medicinemedicineAnimalsHumansDirect pathway of movementAggressionCentral nucleus of the amygdalaDopaminergicMolecular mechanismsAmygdalaAggressionBehavioral disorders030104 developmental biologymedicine.anatomical_structureNeurologyHypothalamusCentral nervous systemBehavioral disorderAndrogensAnxietySteroidsmedicine.symptomPsychologyNeuroscience030217 neurology & neurosurgeryAnabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS)

description

: Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) abuse is often associated with a wide spectrum of adverse effects. These drugs are frequently abused by adolescents and athletes for esthetic purposes, as well as for improvement of their endurance and performances. In this literature review, we evaluated the correlation between AAS and anxiety or aggression. Two pathways are thought to be involved in AAS-induced behavioral disorders. Direct pathway via the amygdalo-fugal pathway, which connects the central nucleus of the amygdala to the brainstem, is involved in cognitive-emotive and homeostatic processes. The latter is modified by chronic AAS use, which subsequently leads to increased anxiety. Indirect pathways via the serotonergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic signals which are modified by AAS abuse in latero-anterior hypothalamus and can mediate the aggressive behavior. In conclusion, the molecular mechanisms underlying the behavioral alterations following AAS abuse is unclear and remains ambiguous as additional long-term studies aimed to understand the precise mechanisms are required.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2017-07-18
10.1007/s12035-017-0774-1http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/317436