The Anxiolytic Effect of Pregnancy in Rats Is Reversed by Finasteride

November 2006 in “ Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior ”

Claudia de Brito Faturi, Flavia Teixeira-Silva, José Roberto S. A. Leite

finasteride allopregnanolone 3α,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone neuroactive steroids cortical concentrations oestrous Propecia alloP alloTHDOC

TLDR Pregnancy reduces anxiety in rats, but finasteride reverses this effect.

This study investigated the anxiolytic effect of pregnancy in rats and the role of neuroactive steroids allopregnanolone (alloP) and 3α,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone (alloTHDOC) in this process. The results showed that pregnancy has an anxiolytic effect in rats, which can be observed on the 19th day of pregnancy on the elevated plus maze (EPM). The anxiolytic effect of pregnancy was blocked by finasteride, which decreased the cortical concentrations of alloP and alloTHDOC of pregnant females to levels comparable to those of females in oestrous. The study provides evidence of the anxiolytic effect of pregnancy and the important role that alloP and alloTHDOC may have in this process.

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