Pharmacologically Altered Androgens, Brain Activation, and Response Inhibition in a Stop-Signal Task in Male Heavy Drinkers

    January 2026
    Sarah Gerhardt, Rafat Boroumand-Jazi, Sabine Hoffmann, Christiane Mühle, I. Reinhard, Matthias Reichl, Leonard Wenger, Haoye Tan, Patrick Bach, Sabina Steiner, Georg W. Alpers, Falk Kiefer, Bernd Lenz, Marlene Kundlacz
    This study explored the impact of reducing dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels using finasteride on brain activation and response inhibition in male heavy drinkers. Involving 50 participants in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over fMRI study, it was found that lower DHT and higher testosterone (T) levels were linked to increased neural activation in temporal regions during response inhibition tasks. However, hormone levels did not significantly affect behavioral outcomes in the stop signal task. The results suggest that DHT and T are associated with neural activation during response inhibition, highlighting potential therapeutic approaches for addressing problem drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) through androgen modulation.
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      community Is this broscience? From More Plates, More Dates

      in Research/Science  21 upvotes 1 year ago
      The conversation discusses whether finasteride's reduction of DHT and increase in scalp testosterone contribute to hair follicle miniaturization. Some participants argue testosterone does not cause miniaturization, while others suggest that even with reduced DHT, other androgens like testosterone may still contribute to hair loss.

      community Androgenetic alopecia is a skin disease: DHT-mediated skin disorders

      in Research/Science  63 upvotes 2 years ago
      Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) impacts various skin conditions, including Androgenetic alopecia and seborrheic dermatitis, by causing overactivity in sebaceous glands. Topical medications Tacrolimus and Clobetasol can reduce these inflammatory conditions, and treatments like RU58841, Minoxidil, and Finasteride may also be beneficial.

      community Topical finasteride has affected my hormones

      in Finasteride/Dutasteride  27 upvotes 2 years ago
      A 21-year-old experienced hormone changes after using self-made topical finasteride for hair loss, including a 20% decrease in DHT, a 47% increase in testosterone, and a 39% increase in estradiol. The user previously used minoxidil and microneedling but is now seeking ways to balance hormones, possibly through supplements or dosage adjustments.

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