The present invention features, inter alia, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions that include metyrapol as the sole pharmaceutically active agent; compositions that include metyrapol and at least one additional pharmaceutically active agent; compositions in which the agent targeting the HPA axis is, itself, new or modified (e.g., a bi-specific antibody designed to traverse the blood-brain barrier or a known compound redesigned by, for example, conjugation to a substance that traverses the blood-brain barrier); and compositions in which the agent targeting the HPA axis is newly formulated in such a way that it fails to significantly inhibit cortisol production in the adrenal gland. For example, the composition can be formulated to include a dosage that is too low to reduce plasma cortisol levels or formulated to preferentially affect the skin.