Author/Authors :
Tarricone, Ilaria Department of Psychological Medicine - King’s College London - London, UK , Murri, Martino Belvederi Department of Psychological Medicine - King’s College London - London, UK , Mondelli, Valeria Department of Psychological Medicine - King’s College London - London, UK , Pariante, Carmine Department of Psychological Medicine - King’s College London - London, UK , Fanelli, Flaminia Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA) - St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Pagotto, Uberto Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA) - St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Mezzullo, Marco Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA) - St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Bonora, Elena Bologna Transcultural Psychosomatic Team (BoTPT) - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Triolo, Federico Bologna Transcultural Psychosomatic Team (BoTPT) - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Chiri, Luigi Bologna Transcultural Psychosomatic Team (BoTPT) - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Allegri, Fabio Bologna Transcultural Psychosomatic Team (BoTPT) - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Menchetti, Marco Bologna Transcultural Psychosomatic Team (BoTPT) - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy , Berardi, Domenico Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences - University of Bologna - Bologna, Italy
Abstract :
Neuroactive steroids may play a role in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, but few studies examined this issue. Wecompared serum levels of cortisol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and progesterone between a representative sample of first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Furthermore, we analyzed the associations betweenneuroactive steroids levels and the severity of psychotic symptom dimensions. Male patients had lower levels of progesterone thancontrols (𝑝=0.03). Progesterone levels were inversely associated with the severity of positive symptoms (𝑝=0.007). Consistentwith preclinical findings, results suggest that progesterone might have a role in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders
Keywords :
Neuroactive Steroids , First-Episode Psychosis , A Role for Progesterone , EEP , CORT , PROG
