Allopregnanolone and related neurosteroids share effects with ethanol at several critical targets. Though data are equivocal in humans, acute administration of ethanol (and several other drugs of abuse) increases brain and plasma levels of allopregnanolone in animals. Evidence exists suggesting that this effect of ethanol is mediated via the peripheral or mitochondrial benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). PBR activation can stimulate neurosteroid synthesis and results in anxiolytic effects similar to ethanol, benzodiazepines, and neurosteroids. Further, finasteride, an inhibitor of neurosteroidogenesis, blunts some effects of ethanol in animals and humans. Thus, neurosteroids may modulate or mediate effects of ethanol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates. Like ethanol and allopregnanolone, benzodiazepines and barbiturates are positive GABA-A receptor modulators. Accordingly, neurosteroids share discriminative stimulus properties with ethanol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates. Allopregnanolone and related neurosteroids are self-administered by animals, similar to ethanol and other abused drugs. A role for neurosteroids in ethanol tolerance and withdrawal has also emerged, as rodents undergoing ethanol withdrawal are sensitized to neurosteroid effects and alcoholics in withdrawal display reduced allopregnanolone levels. While symmetrical cross tolerance develops between ethanol and benzodiazepines, asymmetrical cross tolerance develops between neurosteroids and benzodiazepines or ethanol, which could be exploited to help treat ethanol, benzodiazepine or barbiturate dependence and withdrawal. (PsycINFO Database Record © 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Yes, I agree this is an important thing to note. Alcohols seems to have little to no effect on many sufferers, myself included.
On my side, with huge amount of alcool, after 7+ hours I could get sex drive back for 3-5hours.
I have repeated it for around 9 months and it was always the same result. (To see effect comes, you may have to do at least 3 days in a row)
When I say high amounth of alcool, its like 0.75l-1L of wine drunk in like 3 hours. Also I was smoking and I wonder if Nicotine was not part of this outcome as it has a role with releasing dopamine in the brain.
I stopped smoking, I reduced drastically alcohol, and now I don’t feel sex-drive anymore (like before).
I have seen a comment of someone (PFS) having the same experience.
I wonder what effect synthetic allopregnanolone like Sage-217 will have on the response of PFS patients to alcohol… I suppose we just have to wait and see.
Isn’t Sage going to cost a small fortune?
What is expected from SAGE for PFS patient beside depression treatment?
From my understanding we don’t know. Seems to be that allo is chronically low in many PFS patients, and neurosteroids influence more than just depressive disorders… so I’d say it’s anybody’s guess. There are studies which correlate neurosteroid levels with dopamine release and a host of other functions.