Question

What do corticosteroids do to the brain?

Answer 1

Answer:

When the body becomes stressed, the pituitary gland at the base of the brain releases ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. The extra cortisol allows the body to cope with stressful situations, such as infection, trauma, surgery, or emotional problems.

Explanation:

Answer 2

The use of corticosteroids is strongly associated to the development of psychiatric/neurological side effects. These effects are due to the wide expression of GR in the brain, and their long-term modulation can lead to functional and anatomical alterations, which might be responsible for the observed side-effects.