Does Steroid Treatment Cause Adverse Effects On Brain?

Posted on Mon, 7 Apr 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 7 Apr 2014 Answered on

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi , I had some low dose weak steroid treatment when i was 14. I want to know more about effects on brain such as may cause aggressive behaviour and loss of emotions. My question: Would these androgen induced effects on brain be the first time ever seen? Or would they have been seen already when i was baby (as male babies have high testosterone first few months of life) Thanks and Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: No perm effect of steroids on a developing brain Detailed Answer: Hi there! Interesting question! Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. The effect of a course of steroids is not a permanent effect on a patients brain at any age really. But when it comes to a developing brain at age 14. There is no chance that the steroids effects would have lasted more than a few weeks after the steroids were stopped. There are syndromes like "steroid madness" that could affect a person while they are on the drugs But they clear up afterwards. In a developing brain (when you are a baby) the androgens that are being developed are specialized to the development of the male genitalia. Not all Androgens are the same and not all steroids have the same effects as androgens. So don't confuse the 2. I hope this helps. Feel free to follow-up. Vinay

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (2 hours later)

Hello Dr XXXXXXX Thank you for your valued answer. My concern revolves around which was the first time i expressed 'androgen induced' aggresive behaviour....was it during my anabolic steroid treatment at 14 ( when i was in very early puberty) ? Or did androgen induced aggresive behaviour get expressed before this age? (ie earlier phases of life when tesosterone was high) Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (19 hours later)

Brief Answer: Did you express it at all? Detailed Answer: Hi, well, lets rule out expressing any type of aggressive behavior early in life. Those parts of the brain are not even well developed at that age and children do not develop aggressive tendencies early in life. It's an evolutionary adaptation to prevent the newborn from being abandoned by the parents. Children who are less aggressive will be selected for. Now. When it comes to the treatment at age 14. There is a possibility that the Oxandolone would have induced steroid psychosis at that age. But I'm not sure. Did you have any violent outbursts during that treatment? Can you describe what happened? Remember, not everyone has that particular side effect. I look forward to your reply. Vinay I look forward to your reply.

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

Follow up: Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (45 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX I would like to ask if you heard back from Denver about the rate of ghrh receptors degradation. My ghrh receptors were possibly increased as a result of my steroid treatment aged 14. Are the same Ghrh receptors that were around at 14 still around now (im aged 32) ?? Thanks and Regards

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (19 hours later)

Brief Answer: Receptors last a few hours to a few days Detailed Answer: Hey yhea, they told me is was like 6 hours when they used radioactively tagged proteins to see when they got recycled. Now the radioactive nature of the tag means IT probably was degrading the receptor faster than it normally would. And the experiments were done on rats. So they theorize it could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days. There's just no chance the same Ghrh receptors are still kicking around inside of you. Take Care, Vin

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