ArticlePsychoneuroendocrinology2016
Peripartum neuroactive steroid and γ-aminobutyric acid profiles in women at-risk for postpartum depression.
Article in Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 61 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
61 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 107 citations in OpenAlex.
- Peripartum allopregnanolone blood concentrations and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- The immune phenotype of perinatal anxiety in an anxiety-focused behavioral intervention program in Pakistan.Brain, behavior, and immunity · 2024Trial
- Shared Genetic Architecture of Premenstrual Disorder and Postpartum Depression: Registry-Based and Genetic Evidence.Research square · 2026Article
- Associations of Allopregnanolone and Related Steroid Hormones with Prenatal Psychosocial Distress in the Healthy Start Cohort.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026Article
- GABAergic Neuroactive Steroids and Network States: Relevance to Peripartum Depression.Biological psychiatry · 2026Review
- Perinatal Depression: Current Knowledge.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026Review
- Psychedelic therapy and postpartum depression: priorities and prospects.Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology · 2026Review
- Association ofZhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2025Article
- The role of neuroactive steroids in psychiatric and neurological disorders: Neurobiology and therapeutic perspectives.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2025Review
- Peripartum Depression Pharmacotherapies Targeting GABA-Glutamate Neurotransmission.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Neuroactive Steroids as Novel Promising Drugs in Therapy of Postpartum Depression-Focus on Zuranolone.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Noncoding RNAs and their influence on maternal mental health: insights into perinatal depression: a review.Molecular biology reports · 2025Review
- Supplementary approaches to perinatal depression: a review of pathogenesis, herbal interventions, and dietary supplements.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Review
- Levels of neuroactive steroids are elevated in those who develop first-onset depression early in pregnancy.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
- Neuroactive Steroids, Toll-like Receptors, and Neuroimmune Regulation: Insights into Their Impact on Neuropsychiatric Disorders.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Plasma γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Concentrations in Lactating Holstein Cows during Thermoneutral and Heat Stress Conditions and Their Relationships with Circulating Glucose, Insulin and Progesterone Levels.Veterinary sciences · 2024Article
- Steroid Metabolome Analysis in Dichorionic Diamniotic Twin Pregnancy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Article
- Allopregnanolone and mood in the peripartum: a longitudinal assessment in healthy women.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2024Article
- Current pharmacotherapy approaches and novel GABAergic antidepressant development in postpartum depression.Dialogues in clinical neuroscience · 2023Review
1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Neuroactive steroids (NAS) are allosteric modulators of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. NAS and GABA are implicated in depression. The peripartum period involves physiologic changes in NAS which may be associated with peripartum depression and anxiety. We measured peripartum plasma NAS and GABA in healthy comparison subjects (HCS) and those at-risk for postpartum depression (AR-PPD) due to current mild depressive or anxiety symptoms or a history of depression. We evaluated 56 peripartum medication-free subjects. We measured symptoms with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S). Plasma NAS and GABA were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We examined the associations between longitudinal changes in NAS, GABA and depressive and anxiety symptoms using generalized estimating equation methods. Peripartum GABA concentration was 1.9±0.7ng/mL (p=0.004) lower and progesterone and pregnanolone were 15.8±7.5 (p=0.04) and 1.5±0.7ng/mL (p=0.03) higher in AR-PPD versus HCS, respectively. HAM-D17 was negatively associated with GABA (β=-0.14±0.05, p=0.01) and positively associated with pregnanolone (β=0.16±0.06, p=0.01). STAI-S was positively associated with pregnanolone (β=0.11±0.04, p=0.004), allopregnanolone (β=0.13±0.05, p=0.006) and pregnenolone (β=0.02±0.01, p=0.04). HAM-A was negatively associated with GABA (β=-0.12±0.04, p=0.004) and positively associated with pregnanolone (β=0.11±0.05, p=0.05). Altered peripartum NAS and GABA profiles in AR-PPD women suggest that their interaction may play an important role in the pathophysiology of peripartum depression and anxiety.
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Registered trials
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