The relationship with serum pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone and sulphat esters , peripheral NMDA , GABA receptors in bipolar disorder

Neurosteroids are steroid hormones which are occurred in central nervous system. Together with brain development, they can control stimulation of nervous system by their inhibitory or excitatory effects. The role of neurosteroids in mood changes has not been fully defined, yet. Platelets may be accepted as neuronal model because of their protein and receptor expressions. This study aimed to determine the peripheral levels of pregnenolone sulfate (PS), Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) ve DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) which are active steroids for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in mood disorders. Also, It has been evaluated the relationship between the ratios of receptors in platelets and the levels of their possible substrates in serum. The patients with mood disorders (n = 34) and healthy controls which are matched to patients for age, gender and education level (n = 17) were included in the study. Serum GABA, NMDA, DHEA and DHEAS levels were analyzed by EIA, PS levels were determined by LCMSMS method. Clinical symptoms of patients were evaluated by Barratt Impulsivity Scale, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test , Stroop Test, Trial Making Test, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Healthy volunteers were evaluated with structured interviews (SCID-healthy). DHEAS levels of patients with mood disorders were significantly lower but NMDA and PS levels significantly higher than the control group.The positive correlation was determined between GABA receptor levels of platelets and the levels of substrate in serum. In our project the rates of receptors in platelets and the levels of PS and DHEAS in serum of patient with mood disorders were simultaneously evaluated for the first time according to our literature review. According to our data, it may be suggested that the levels of DHEAS and PS can be used as a biomarker in mood disorders. Keywords: Bipolar Disorder, Neurosteroid, Pregnenolone, DHEA, NMDA, GABA