Effect of the 5α-Reductase Enzyme Inhibitor Dutasteride in the Brain of Intact and Parkinsonian Mice

    Nadhir Litim, Marc Morissette, Donatella Caruso, Roberto Cosimo Melcangi, Thérèse Di Paolo
    TLDR Dutasteride may protect the brain in early Parkinson's disease.
    The study investigated the neuroprotective effects of dutasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, in mice models of early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). Dutasteride pre-treatment prevented the loss of striatal dopamine and its metabolite DOPAC, and mitigated the effects of MPTP on dopamine transporter (DAT), vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), and D2 receptor binding. It also reduced inflammation by lowering GFAP levels in MPTP-treated mice. The study suggested that dutasteride's neuroprotective effects might be due to altered steroid levels, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for PD. Further research was recommended to understand the molecular mechanisms involved.
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