Eva Kudová Group

Neurosteroids are endogenous steroids that are synthesized from cholesterol and produce rapid effects on neuronal excitability and synaptic function that involve direct or indirect modulation of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels, or other neurotransmitter receptors and transporters, rather than classic, nuclear hormone receptors. The effects of neurosteroids are mediated by interactions with ligand-gated ion channels such as glutamate, GABAA, glycine, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, etc.

To find novel potentially beneficial drugs to treat neurological damage/neurodegeneration is one of the most investigated areas in contemporary pharmacology and neuroscience. Therefore, we design, synthesize and screen SMART Steroids – Steroidal Molecules As Rapid-acting Therapeutics. SMART steroids are neuroactive molecules, targeting primarily the N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and show neuroprotective properties and minimal side effects in animal models of several neurological diseases like epilepsy, neuropathic pain, ischemia, neuropsychiatric disorders, and others.