Inhibition of 5α-Reductase in the Nucleus Accumbens Counters Sensorimotor Gating Deficits Induced by Dopaminergic Activation

    October 2011 in “ Psychoneuroendocrinology ”
    Paola Devoto, Roberto Frau, Valentina Bini, Giuliano Pillolla, Pierluigi Saba, Giovanna Flore, Marta Corona, Francesco Marrosu, Marco Bortolato
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    The study investigated the effects of the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride (FIN) on sensorimotor gating deficits induced by dopaminergic activation in rats, using a model of prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits. A total of 448 male Sprague–Dawley rats were used. The findings indicated that FIN dose-dependently reversed PPI deficits primarily in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key area in the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway, with a potential involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). These results suggested that FIN's antipsychotic-like effects might be specifically related to dopaminergic neurotransmission, highlighting 5α-reductase as a potential therapeutic target for schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. The study was supported by various grants, and no conflicts of interest were declared.
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