October 2022 in “Biomolecules” This study found that in male rats, chronic finasteride treatment reduced allopregnanolone levels, which, upon drug withdrawal, correlated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and altered neurotransmitter levels.
1 citations
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February 2022 in “Brain Research Bulletin” This study found that finasteride reduced impulsivity in a rat model of pramipexole-induced probability discounting, possibly by normalizing D3 receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens.
1 citations
,
March 2020 in “Journal of Pharmacological Sciences” This study demonstrated that benzothiazepines, such as diltiazem and JTV-519, exert anxiolytic-like effects through allopregnanolone biosynthesis in mice, similar to carbamazepine.
26 citations
,
December 2019 in “Neurobiology of Stress” This review discusses adverse effects of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, particularly persistent side effects such as post-finasteride syndrome, and highlights the need for further investigation.
12 citations
,
June 2019 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” This study found that in rodent models, the ability of D1 dopamine receptor activation to impair sensory gating is facilitated by 5α-reductase type 1, which produces allopregnanolone.
59 citations
,
November 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” This study suggests that cerebrospinal fluid levels of the neurosteroids allopregnanolone and pregnanolone correlate negatively with PTSD and negative mood symptoms, with potential sex-specific differences in synthesis enzyme blocks.
26 citations
,
September 2018 in “Neurobiology of Disease” This study found that both finasteride and dutasteride significantly reduced L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, with dutasteride showing greater effectiveness at lower doses.
13 citations
,
December 2017 in “CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics” In this study, finasteride was found to inhibit the dopaminergic system and reduce open-field behaviors in adolescent male rats by decreasing dopamine levels and related proteins.
58 citations
,
April 2017 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” This study found that patients with post-finasteride syndrome exhibited major depressive disorder, severe erectile dysfunction, and neuropathy, alongside altered neuroactive steroid levels in cerebrospinal fluid.
14 citations
,
October 2016 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” This study identified significant changes in the expression of nine proteins in the nucleus accumbens of rats treated with finasteride, suggesting potential novel targets for its neuropsychiatric effects.
123 citations
,
December 2015 in “Journal of Neuroendocrinology” This review discusses recent strategies targeting the neuroactive steroid biosynthetic pathway to enhance neurosteroidogenesis, highlighting their potential benefits for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, but reports no new clinical findings.
33 citations
,
December 2015 in “Neuroendocrinology” This study found that subchronic finasteride treatment in male rats altered neuroactive steroid levels and steroid receptor expression in the brain, with some changes persisting after drug withdrawal.
111 citations
,
August 2015 in “Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders” 5α-reductase inhibitors may cause persistent sexual dysfunction and depression, needing more research on long-term effects.
81 citations
,
June 2014 in “American Journal of Men's Health” This study highlights that adverse effects from finasteride may persist in men after discontinuation, indicating a potential "post-finasteride syndrome.
61 citations
,
April 2014 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” This study reports that men with androgenic alopecia experience altered neuroactive steroid levels associated with persistent depression symptoms even after stopping finasteride treatment.
19 citations
,
September 2013 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Blocking CYP17A1 enzyme may help improve certain brain function issues related to dopamine.
73 citations
,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study observed that androgenic alopecia patients taking finasteride had altered neuroactive steroid levels and persistent depression symptoms even after stopping the treatment.
35 citations
,
March 2013 in “American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics” This study found that a genetic variation in SRD5A2 influences the severity of PTSD symptoms in a sex-specific manner among traumatized African-American males.
134 citations
,
August 2012 in “The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” This study found that former finasteride users with persistent sexual side effects reported significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts compared to controls.
28 citations
,
October 2011 in “British Journal of Pharmacology” This study found that enhanced neurosteroid synthesis likely mediated by the translocator protein contributed to the anticonvulsant action of midazolam in mice.
72 citations
,
January 2011 in “Current Pharmaceutical Design” This review discusses the potential role of steroid 5α-reductase inhibitors in treating neuropsychiatric disorders related to dopaminergic hyperreactivity but reports no new clinical results.
97 citations
,
December 2010 in “Journal of Neuroscience” This study found that midazolam, unlike clonazepam, increased neurosteroid levels and affected synaptic inhibition and plasticity in rat hippocampal neurons, suggesting unique actions via dual receptor activation.
49 citations
,
January 2009 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” DHEA treatment helps grow pubic hair and boosts mood in girls with adrenal issues.
64 citations
,
March 2008 in “Neuropsychopharmacology” 
238 citations
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February 2007 in “Journal of Neuroscience” This study found that neurosteroids can reorganize GABA A receptors in mice, mimicking ovarian cycle changes, with the process being mediated by neurosteroid levels rather than direct hormone receptor activation.
99 citations
,
October 2006 in “BMC clinical pharmacology” This preliminary study suggests that finasteride might cause depressive symptoms, indicating the need for cautious prescription in patients at high risk for depression.
269 citations
,
May 2002 in “Hormones and Behavior” Lowering 3α,5α-THP in the hippocampus increases anxiety and depression in proestrous rats.
