Publications by authors named "Lisa-Marie Brunner"
Neurosteroids and translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) ligands as novel treatment options in depression.
Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci
July 2024
Article Synopsis
- The GABA system, specifically 3α-reduced steroids like allopregnanolone, has gained attention for treating anxiety and depression, particularly postpartum depression, with recent FDA approvals marking significant progress.
- Brexanolone, an intravenous form of allopregnanolone, and zuranolone, an oral option, are both FDA-approved for postpartum depression, although zuranolone's approval for major depressive disorder is still pending due to insufficient efficacy data.
- Side effects of these treatments include somnolence, dizziness, and headache, and current research is exploring alternatives like etifoxine, a TSPO ligand, which is already available in France for anxiety and may have potential antidepressant properties.
TSPO ligands are promising alternatives to benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety, as they display less pronounced side effects such as sedation, cognitive impairment, tolerance development and abuse potential. In a randomized double-blind repeated-measures study we compare a benzodiazepine (alprazolam) to a TSPO ligand (etifoxine) by assessing side effects and acquiring resting-state fMRI data from 34 healthy participants after 5 days of taking alprazolam, etifoxine or a placebo. To study the effects of the pharmacological interventions in fMRI in detail and across different scales, we combine in our study complementary analysis strategies related to whole-brain functional network connectivity, local connectivity analysis expressed in regional homogeneity, fluctuations in low-frequency BOLD amplitudes and coherency of independent resting-state networks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Recent developments suggest that neurosteroids may achieve rapid antidepressant effects. As such, neurosteroidogenesis mediated by the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) might constitute a promising option for the treatment of depression. Therefore, the current clinical trial aims to get the first evidence of whether TPSO ligands promote rapid antidepressant effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- There is a demand for new quick-acting treatments for affective disorders, particularly through the use of 3α-reduced neurosteroids like allopregnanolone, which enhance GABA receptor activity.
- These neurosteroids are produced by the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO), which also influences mitochondrial function and has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Recent developments show that TSPO ligands and 3α-reduced neurosteroids, including etifoxine and brexanolone, could offer promising treatment options for conditions like depression and anxiety.
Rationale: Benzodiazepines have been extensively investigated in experimental settings especially after single administration, which mostly revealed effects on unpredictable threat (U-threat) rather than predictable threat (P-threat). Given the need for pharmacological alternatives with a preferable side-effect profile and to better represent clinical conditions, research should cover also other anxiolytics and longer application times.
Objectives: The present study compared the acute and short-term effects of the translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) ligand etifoxine and the benzodiazepine alprazolam on P-threat and U-threat while controlling for sedation.