Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, an neurosteroid, is a potent positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of GABAA receptor. Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone has potent neuroinhibitory properties[2].In Vitro: The endogenous neurosteroid Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) at physiological concentrations selectively enhances tonic currents mediated by αβδ receptors.
In hippocampus, 10 nM Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone reduces neuronal excitability by augmenting tonic αβδ receptor currents. In thalamocortical neurons, although 100 nM Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone enhances tonic currents, 10 nM Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone does not.In Vivo: Concentrations of Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) in brain tissue from mice with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) resulting from toxic liver injury are sufficient to induce sedation in animals of the same species[2].