Effect of Glucocorticoid and 11[beta]-Hydroxysteroid-Dehydrogenase Type 1 in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

11[beta]-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11[beta]-HSD1) activity is implicated as a moderator of the progression of multiple diseases and disorders in medicine and is actively subject to investigation as a therapeutic target. Here we summarize the mechanisms of the enzyme and detail the novel agents under investigation. Such agents modulate peripheral Cortisol and cortisone levels in hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorders, and Alzheimer's disease models, but there is mixed evidence for transduction into symptom management. There is inchoate evidence that 11[beta]-HSD1 modulators may be useful pharmacotherapies for clinical improvement in psychiatry and neurology; however, more research is required. Keywords: 11[beta]-HSD1 inhibitors, clinical translation, glucocorticoids, neurological, psychiatric