Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Glucocorticoids

Definition

Glucocorticoids are naturally-produced steroid hormones, or synthetic compounds, that inhibit the process of inflammation.

Purpose

The target of glucocorticoids: inflammation

Glucocorticoids are used to stop the inflammation process. The inflammatory process has evolved in the body for a useful purpose; namely as a defensive reaction to the damage or injury to tissue. By a series of reactions, inflammation is designed to isolate whatever is causing the irritation, help eradicate the presumed invader, and help repair the surrounding damaged tissue.

The hallmarks of inflammation are redness, heat, swelling, and pain. These reactions arise from the various steps in the inflammation pathway. The inflammatory response begins with the expansion of the capillaries, which allows more blood to flow to the target site....