Chronic Exposure of 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor in Young Male Rats Induces Metabolic Disturbance and Depressive-Like Behaviors

The study "Chronic Exposure of 5‐Alpha Reductase Inhibitor in Young Male Rats Induces Not Only Metabolic Disturbance, But Also Depressive‐Like Behaviors as Similar with Obese Condition" involved 20 male Wistar rats, divided into two groups of 10. One group was fed a normal diet (ND), the other a high-fat diet (HFD) for 18 weeks. From week 13, each group was further divided to receive either a control vehicle or Finasteride (FIN), a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor used in treating androgenetic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The study found that HFD-fed rats developed obesity and hypercholesterolemia, with increased systemic oxidative stress. These rats, along with the FIN-treated ND-fed rats, exhibited anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. However, FIN did not worsen these behaviors in HFD-fed rats. The study concluded that chronic exposure to FIN can induce metabolic disturbances and depressive-like behaviors similar to those seen in obesity.