Progesterone receptor-mediated actions and the treatment of central nervous system disorders: An up-date of the known and the challenge of the unknown

Abstract

Progesterone has been shown to exert a wide range of remarkable protective actions in experimental models of central nervous system injury or disease. However, the intimate mechanisms involved in each of these beneficial effects are not fully depicted. In this review, we intend to give the readers a thorough revision on what is known about the participation of diverse receptors and signaling pathways in progesterone-mediated neuroprotective, pro-myelinating and anti-inflammatory outcomes, as well as point out to novel regulatory mechanisms that could open new perspectives in steroid-based therapies.

Keywords: Allopregnanolone; Brain injury; Neurodegenerative diseases; Progesterone; Progesterone receptors; Spinal cord injury.