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What Impact Does Steroid Treatment Have On Brain Development?

Posted on Fri, 28 Mar 2014

Question: Hi, i had some steroid treatment when i was 14 , and would like to know what impact this had on my developing brain. Any long lasting impact? Did it wire things in certain way, and this remain till this day? Any opinion would be helpful. Thanks

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (25 days later)

Brief Answer: No effects Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for your query. 2.5mg oxandrolone daily for 3 months does not affect the brain, its function or its growth. Need not worry, though some steroids cause some effects on the brain, they may be short lasting and do not persist for such a long duration or even complicate. regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (31 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX for advice. Apparently steroids can increase number of receptors in but this rebalances a few months after end of the steroid treatement. How is this acheived? By desensitization of all the receptors or by some reduction in number of receptors? Best Regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Receptor density is dynamic Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for writing back. You are right, steroids and many other drugs can induce the receptors in the target cells and for sure the same will be reversed over time after stopping the inducing agent. The reversal occurs by reduction in the number of receptors. The receptor density is a dynamic entity. Whenever there is a stimulus their number increases to show the biological effect of the drug or the agent at desired levels. Soon after the stimulus is withdrawn the receptors become unused and disappear over time. regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (2 days later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX , I want to ask about gnrh and gonadotropin secretion. Generally gnrh is secreted every few hours, but the resulting gonadotropins , specifically FSH, has half life of 3-4 hours. Does this mean FSH is ALWAYS continously present in the blood? Is there any period when it is zero amount in blood before a gnrh secretion? Because it seems as if once FSH is present in the blood, it will always be present as its half life exceeds Gnrh secretion intervals. Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (2 days later)

Brief Answer: FSH never becomes zero Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for writing back. Sorry for the delay in my response. Though there is pulsatile release of Gnrh, the stimulus continues to be almost uninterrupted or balanced on the pituitary until gnrh disintegrates. This ensures that the FSH levels do not zero down. regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (38 hours later)

Dear Dr XXXXXXX , thank you for your valued advice. I have one final query. It is believed neuropeptide Y plays a role in inhibiting gnrh in childhood. But does neuropeptide Y also play inhibiting role on Gnrh in adulthood ? Or is testosterone negative feedback the only 'inhibitor' ? Hope you can advise . Wishing you all the best Regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (9 hours later)

Brief Answer: Neuropeptide Y not related to Gnrh Detailed Answer: Hi, Neuropeptide y has influence on glucocorticoid levels by affecting the Corticotrophin releasing hormone but not on Gnrh. Yes, testostrone is involved in one of the feedback mechanism in release of Gnrh. Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (11 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX for your valued advice, If i may, id like to ask another query. I have a concern that the treatment i had possibly caused physical 'growth' of the brain, and brain cells stay permanently...so in a way the treatment caused permanent effects. Just to ease my concern. Could you kindly advise anything more? Thanks and Best Regards, XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (11 hours later)

Brief Answer: Least possible Detailed Answer: Hi, Though steroids induce regeneration and hyperplasia, I doubt it to linger on for years. Also, I would consider it a least possibility wherein braincells (neurons) grow in size or in number under the influence of steroids. Need not worry, If there was anything you suspect you would for sure had serious problems by now. Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (42 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX for your valued advice. If i can go back to query about neuropeptide Y influence on gnrh. Some studies suggest it may act as a 'neurobiological brake' during childhood years before puberty. So thereafter since it played suppressing role during childhood, can it play suppressing role on short term basis in adulthood?? Can it be one of the components that can inhibit gnrh secretion in adulthood too? Thanks and wishing you all the best, Regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (2 days later)

Brief Answer: No Detailed Answer: Hi, There is no evidence of such an action of Neuropeptide Y in adults. Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (18 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX for all your valued advice. I would like to ask off topic about things that dna produce. As well as proteins does it also produce acids? Or any other item in addition to proteins? Hope u dont mind me...im just curious to know Hope to close discussion after your reply, thanx and god bless

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: DNA directs everything Detailed Answer: Hi, Almost all proteins and any sort of reactions occurring in the cell are directed by DNA alone. All proteins are the products of genes present in the DNA. Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (35 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX for your valued advice. What about within the DNA itself, do reactions occur inside there? For example , how do the genes communicate with each other - through electric signals? Thanks and wish you all the best

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (12 hours later)

Brief Answer: Protein production Detailed Answer: Hi, DNA have genes which code for proteins which carry on various biological process in a being. regards,

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar