Anxiety and Depression-Like Behaviour Following Short-Term Finasteride Administration Is Associated With Impaired Synaptic Plasticity and Cognitive Behaviour in Male Rats

This study demonstrates that short-term administration of finasteride in male rats induces anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and impairs hippocampal-dependent learning and synaptic plasticity. The findings suggest that neurosteroids play a crucial role in mood and cognition. Future research should focus on evaluating the antidepressant activity and understanding the molecular mechanisms by estimating various neurosteroid and neurotransmitter levels in different brain regions to develop novel neurosteroid-based treatments.