Review
Psychiatry
Amber N. Edinoff, Amira S. Odisho, Kendall Lewis, Amir Kaskas, Grace Hunt, Elyse M. Cornett, Alan D. Kaye, Adam Kaye, John Morgan, P. Scott Barrilleaux, David Lewis, Omar Viswanath, Ivan Urits
Summary: Postpartum depression is a significant type of postpartum psychiatric syndrome that affects the mother-child bond. Allopregnanolone and its analog brexanolone play important roles in modulating GABA receptors, leading to improvements in depression scores.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Kristina M. Deligiannidis, Samantha Meltzer-Brody, Bassem Maximos, E. Quinn Peeper, Marlene Freeman, Robert Lasser, Amy Bullock, Mona Kotecha, Sigui Li, Fiona Forrestal, Nilanjana Rana, Manny Garcia, Bridgette Leclair, James Doherty
Summary: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of Zuranolone, a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, as an oral treatment for severe postpartum depression. The results demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and a good tolerability profile for Zuranolone.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Doodipala Samba Reddy, Robert H. H. Mbilinyi, Emily Estes
Summary: This article discusses the critical role of neurosteroids in postpartum depression (PPD) and introduces the breakthrough antidepressant brexanolone as a first-in-class neurosteroid therapy. PPD, a neuroendocrine disorder affecting 20% of mothers, is characterized by symptoms such as persistent sadness, fatigue, dysphoria, and disruptions in cognition, emotion, appetite, and sleep. The main pathology behind PPD is the reduction of neurosteroids after childbirth, known as neurosteroid withdrawal. Brexanolone, a progesterone-derived allopregnanolone, rapidly alleviates anxiety and mood deficits by activating GABA-A receptors, making it a transformative treatment for PPD with significant advantages over traditional antidepressants.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Sara Carlini, Lauren M. Osborne, Kristina M. Deligiannidis
Summary: Postpartum depression has negative effects on childbearing persons globally. Current treatments have limited evidence, while hormonal treatments have rationality but limited efficacy. In contrast, the development of antidepressants with allopregnanolone analogues has shown promise.
DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jennifer L. Payne
Summary: Brexanolone is a novel treatment option for postpartum depression, acting as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor. It has shown rapid onset of action and sustained effects without continued administration, making it suitable for women with moderate to severe PPD. Further research is needed to confirm the efficacy of the current recommended dosing regimen.
EXPERT OPINION ON PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ljiljana Jelicic, Aleksandra Veselinovic, Milica Cirovic, Vladimir Jakovljevic, Sasa Raicevic, Misko Subotic
Summary: Maternal mental health significantly influences fetal and child development, especially during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This review explores the effects of anxiety, stress, and depression on adverse child developmental outcomes and discusses the neurobiology and molecular mechanisms of maternal distress transmission. It also highlights the increased frequency of maternal psychological disorders observed during the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary research to improve maternal and child well-being.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jialei Zhu, Jing Jin, Jing Tang
Summary: This review summarized the inflammatory pathological mechanisms associated with postpartum depression (PPD) and introduced potential therapeutic alternatives. Due to limited research, there are still many directions for further investigation into the inflammatory mechanisms of PPD.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Margaret E. Gerbasi, Samantha Meltzer-Brody, Sarah Acaster, Moshe Fridman, Vijayveer Bonthapally, Paul Hodgkins, Stephen J. Kanes, Adi Eldar-Lissai
Summary: Brexanolone injection showed significant and sustained improvements in postpartum depression symptoms compared to placebo, with a low number needed to treat and a large number needed to harm. The results of the study may have implications for treatment decisions.
JOURNAL OF WOMENS HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
John E. Krzeczkowski, Louis A. Schmidt, Ryan J. Van Lieshout
Summary: This study demonstrates that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for mothers with postpartum depression (PPD) can improve infant emotion regulatory capacity, leading to improved emotional regulation and reducing differences between infants of mothers with PPD and healthy control infants.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
C. Neill Epperson, David R. Rubinow, Samantha Meltzer-Brody, Kristina M. Deligiannidis, Robert Riesenberg, Andrew D. Krystal, Kemi Bankole, Ming-Yi Huang, Haihong Li, Colville Brown, Stephen J. Kanes, Robert Lasser
Summary: The study demonstrates that Brexanolone is associated with rapid improvement in depressive symptoms and symptoms of anxiety and insomnia compared with placebo in women with postpartum depression.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Letter
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Casey Rosen-Carole, Shinya Ito
Summary: Brexanolone was the first FDA-approved medication for postpartum depression, but its use in breastfeeding mothers is restricted, causing concerns about the lack of guidance and insurance restrictions on breastfeeding.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Octavian Vasiliu
Summary: There are ongoing studies on investigational antidepressant drugs for various types of depression. Despite the majority of current antidepressants being based on the monoaminergic hypothesis, recent data supports the market launch of two non-monoamine-modulating drugs. However, their use is limited by various factors.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Doodipala Samba Reddy
Summary: Neurosteroids, such as allopregnanolone, are key modulators of neuronal excitability in the brain and have shown to be effective in treating disorders like catamenial epilepsy and postpartum depression. By interacting with GABA(A) receptors, neurosteroids have demonstrated anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, antistress, and neuroprotectant properties, making them promising therapeutic agents for various neuroendocrine disorders. Advances in understanding neurosteroids have opened up new possibilities for drug discovery and treatment of complex brain disorders.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Psychiatry
Jiao Zou, Ling Yang, Guoyu Yang, Junwei Gao
Summary: The study found that brexanolone can improve the core symptoms of postpartum depression, and zuranolone has potential in treating patients with MDD or PPD.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Daniela Colita, Daiana Burdusel, Daniela Glavan, Dirk M. Hermann, Cezar-Ivan Colita, Eugen Colita, Ion Udristoiu, Aurel Popa-Wagner
Summary: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-stroke depression (PSD) are two common and debilitating mental health disorders worldwide. They share common underlying biological mechanisms but differ in onset and prognosis.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dominique Bollino, Irina Balan, Laure Aurelian
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2015)
Article
Neurosciences
Harry L. June, Juan Liu, Kaitlin T. Warnock, Kimberly A. Bell, Irina Balan, Dominique Bollino, Adam Puche, Laure Aurelian
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Psychiatry
L. Aurelian, K. T. Warnock, I. Balan, A. Puche, H. June
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2016)
Article
Immunology
Irina Balan, Kaitlin T. Warnock, Adam Puchec, Marjorie C. Gondre-Lewis, Laure Aurelian
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Irina Balan, Matthew C. Beattie, Todd K. O'Buckley, Laure Aurelian, A. Leslie Morrow
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Review
Neurosciences
Laure Aurelian, Irina Balan
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Kathryn M. Harper, Darin J. Knapp, Caroline A. Todd, Irina Balan, Laure Aurelian, Hugh E. Criswell, George R. Breese
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Neurosciences
Giorgia Boero, Ryan E. Tyler, Caroline A. Todd, Todd K. O'Buckley, Irina Balan, Joyce Besheer, A. Leslie Morrow
Summary: CRF is the main activator of the HPA axis in response to stress, with CRF neurons mainly located in the hypothalamus. 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP attenuates the stress response by reducing hypothalamic CRF mRNA expression and serum corticosterone levels. Sex and region-specific regulation of CRF signals in response to 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP administration may be essential for developing therapies for stress-related disorders and addiction.
Article
Psychiatry
Irina Balan, Laure Aurelian, Riana Schleicher, Giorgia Boero, Todd O'Buckley, A. Leslie Morrow
Summary: The research shows that 3 alpha, 5 alpha-THP inhibits the activation of TLR4, TLR2, and TLR7 signals, but not TLR3 signal, by blocking the TLR-MyD88 interaction. This inhibition leads to decreased production of pro-inflammatory mediators and supports the potential therapeutic use of 3 alpha, 5 alpha-THP for inflammatory diseases.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Irina Balan, Laure Aurelian, Kimberly S. Williams, Brian Campbell, Rick B. Meeker, A. Leslie Morrow
Summary: The study found that allopregnanolone inhibits TLR4 and TLR7 activation in cultured human macrophages, resulting in reduced cytokine/chemokine production. This inhibition of TLR4 activation was found in both male and female donors, while the inhibition of TLR7 signaling showed specificity for female donors. These findings demonstrate the anti-inflammatory effects of allopregnanolone in human macrophages for the first time, suggesting its therapeutic potential in inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giorgia Boero, Ryan E. Tyler, Todd K. O'Buckley, Irina Balan, Joyce Besheer, A. Leslie Morrow
Summary: This study found that 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP has different regulatory effects on stress response in male and female rats. 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP can reduce the increase of circulating corticosterone after stress and have different effects on the expression levels of hypothalamic CRF, CRFR1, CRFBP, POMC, and GR. These results suggest that gender differences and stress types play important roles in the regulation of the HPA axis by 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Irina Balan, Riah Patterson, Giorgia Boero, Holly Krohn, Todd K. O'Buckley, Samantha Meltzer-Brody, A. Leslie Morrowa
Summary: The study found that brexanolone inhibits proinflammatory modulators and macrophage activation in patients with post-partum depression, which may promote clinical recovery.
Review
Neurosciences
Riah Patterson, Irina Balan, A. Leslie Morrow, Samantha Meltzer-Brody
Summary: This article reviews the development, clinical trial data, current practices, and future directions of novel neurosteroid therapeutics for post-partum depression. It discusses the clinical impact of brexanolone and other neurosteroids in treating postpartum depression and major depressive disorders. The article also explores the role of GABA signaling and inflammatory signaling in the etiology of post-partum depression, as well as the development of new neurosteroid therapeutics such as zuranolone and ganaxolone.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Irina Balan, Kaitlin T. Warnock, Adam Puche, Marjorie C. Gondre-Lewis, Harry June, Laure Aurelian
Review
Neurosciences
Maya Jammoul, Dareen Jammoul, Kevin K. Wang, Firas Kobeissy, Ralph G. Depalma
Summary: This article reviews the possible mechanisms by which traumatic brain injury (TBI) may stimulate the development of opioid use disorder (OUD) and discusses the interaction between these two processes. CNS damage due to TBI appears to drive adverse effects of subsequent OUD, with pain being a risk factor for opioid use after TBI.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Danusa Mar Arcego, Jan-Paul Buschdorf, Nicholas O'Toole, Zihan Wang, Barbara Barth, Irina Pokhvisneva, Nirmala Arul Rayan, Sachin Patel, Euclides Jose de Mendonca Filho, Patrick Lee, Jennifer Tan, Ming Xuan Koh, Chu Ming Sim, Carine Parent, Randriely Merscher Sobreira de Lima, Andrew Clappison, Kieran J. O'Donnell, Carla Dalmaz, Janine Arloth, Nadine Provencal, Elisabeth B. Binder, Josie Diorio, Patricia Pelufo Silveira, Michael J. Meaney
Summary: This study investigates the impact of environmental influences on mental health by integrating transcriptomic data from animal models with human data. The results suggest that hippocampal glucocorticoid-related transcriptional activity mediates the effects of early adversity on neural mechanisms implicated in psychiatric disorders.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Milenna T. van Dijk, Ardesheer Talati, Pratik Kashyap, Karan Desai, Nora C. Kelsall, Marc J. Gameroff, Natalie Aw, Eyal Abraham, Breda Cullen, Jiook Cha, Christoph Anacker, Myrna M. Weissman, Jonathan Posner
Summary: This study found that maternal stress is associated with future depressive symptoms and alterations in microstructure of the dentate gyrus (DG) in offspring. These results were consistent across two independent cohorts.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Josephine C. McGowan, Liliana R. Ladner, Claire X. Shubeck, Juliana Tapia, Christina T. LaGamma, Amanda Anqueira-Gonzalez, Ariana DeFrancesco, Briana K. Chen, Holly C. Hunsberger, Ezra J. Sydnor, Ryan W. Logan, Tzong-Shiue Yu, Steven G. Kernie, Christine A. Denny
Summary: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to fear generalization by altering fear memory traces, and this symptom can be improved with (R,S)-ketamine.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2024)
